THE 

ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD 


PAST  AND  PRESENT 


1907 


THE 

ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD 

PAST  AND  PRESENT 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  CONNECTICUT  DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION 

1907 

ONB  HUNDRED  YEARS  AFTER  THE  DEATH  OF  OLIVER  ELLSWORTH 
1807 


A  MEMORIAL 


OF  THE 


OPENING 


ELLSWORTH    HOMESTEAD 


AT 


WINDSOR,    CONNECTICUT 
October  Eighth,  Nineteen  Hundred  and  Three 


UNDER  THE   AUSPICES   OF   THE 


Connecticut 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution 


"A  people  which  takes  no  pride  in  the  achievements  of  remote 
ancestors  will  never  achieve  anything  worthy  to  be  remembered  by 
remote  descendants." — Macaulay. 


Copyrighted 

by 

THE  CONNECTICUT  DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION 
1907 


THE   TUTTLE,    MOREHOUSE    &    TAYLOR    COMPANY 


COMMITTEE  ON  COMPILATION. 


ELIZABETH  C.  BARNEY  BUEL,  Chairman,  Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter, 
(Mrs.  John  Laidlaw  Buel.)  Litchfield. 

MARIE  SPERRY  PICKETT,  Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter,  New  Haven. 
(Mrs.   Charles  Whittlesey  Pickett.) 

FANNIE  M.  OLMSTED,  Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter,  Hartford. 


2013151 


PREFACE. 


Believing  that  the  exercises  and  addresses  on  such  an  historic 
and  suggestive  occasion  as  the  presentation  of  the  Oliver  Ells- 
worth Homestead  by  his  descendants  to  the  Connecticut 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  should  be  preserved 
in  printed  form,  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney, 
appointed  a  committee  consisting  of  Mrs.  John  Laidlaw  Buel, 
Chairman,  Mrs.  Charles  Whittlesey  Pickett  and  Miss  Fannie 
M.  Olmsted,  to  take  charge  of  the  work.  This  memorial  is 
submitted  as  the  result  of  its  labors.  Before  it  was  finished, 
Mrs.  Pickett  was  suddenly  removed  by  death,  but  not  before 
she  had  accomplished  her  portion  of  the  work,  the  account  of 
the  day  at  Windsor  with  which  the  text  of  the  pamphlet  begins. 
This  was  probably  the  last  article  ever  written  by  Mrs.  Pickett, 
the  bright  and  talented  "Rhea"  of  the  New  Haven  Leader,  and 
was  found  among  her  papers  after  her  death.  It  is  transcribed 
here  practically  as  it  left  her  pen. 

This  preface  should  not  close  without  paying  a  tribute  of 
honor  and  respect  to  Mrs.  Sara  Thomson  Kinney,  through 
whose  initiative  and  enterprise,  in  cooperation  with  that  of 
Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin  Porter,  this  invaluable  gift  of  the 
Homestead  was  alone  made  possible,  and  whose  untiring  and 
self -abnegating  labors  resulted  so  brilliantly  in  the  "Day  at 
Windsor."  The  Ellsworth  Homestead  stands  to-day  not  only 
as  a  memorial  to  Oliver  Ellsworth,  statesman  and  patriot,  and 
to  the  public-spirited  generosity  of  his  descendants,  but  also 
as  a  witness,  in  the  hearts  of  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  to  the  loyal  devotion  to  their  interests  of 
their  beloved  and  honored  State  Regent. 

ELIZABETH  C.  BARNEY  BUEL, 

Chairman. 
MARCH  TENTH,  1907. 


"I  have  visited  several  countries  and  I  like  my  own  the  best.  I  have 
been  in  all  the  States  of  the  Union,  and  Connecticut  is  the  best  State. 
Windsor  is  the  pleasantest  town  in  the  State,  and  I  have  the  pleasant- 
est  place  in  the  town  of  Windsor. 

I  am  content, — perfectly  content,  to  die  on  the  banks  of  the  Connec- 
ticut river." 

OLIVER  ELLSWORTH. 


"It  is  sufficient  that  God  governs  the  world,  and  that  his  purposes 
of  grace  will  be  accomplished." 

OLIVER  ELLSWORTH. 


CONTENTS. 


PACK. 

Preface    7 

List  of  Illustrations   n 

Fac-simile  of  Invitation   13-16 

Additional  Committees 17 

The  Day  at  Windsor.    Mrs.  Charles  Whittlesey  Pickett 18 

Programme  of  Opening  Exercises  25 

Exercises  and  Addresses.    Elisabeth  C.  Barney  Buel 26 

List  of  Gifts  and  Loans.    Fannie  M  Olmsted 49 

From  Members  of  the  Ellsworth  family 50 

Donors  of  the  Ellsworth  Homestead 51 

Contributors  to  the  Fund  for  Maintenance  and  Repairs 58 

Made  by  or  through  the  State  Regent 60 

By  Chapters  of  Hartford  County  64 

By  Chapters  of  New  Haven  County  74 

By  Chapters  of  New  London  County  78 

By  Chapters  of  Fairfield  County  82 

By  Chapters  of  Windham  County 86 

By  Chapters  of  Litchfield  County  90 

By  Chapters  of  Middlesex  County  96 

By  Chapters  of  Tolland  County 102 

General  Gifts 105 

Extracts  from  deed  of  1665  109 

Act  of  Incorporation — Ellsworth  Memorial  Association  no 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


^    21 


The  Ellsworth  Homestead   Frontispiece 

Portrait  of  Oliver  and  Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth Facing  page    12 

The  State  Regent  and  Governor  Chamberlain] 
The  Drawing  Room 

Washington's  Letter    "          "       40 

Bedroom  and  Spinning  Room  41 

The  Gobelin  Tapestry  55 

Coats  of  Arms 


57 
Ellsworth  and  Wolcott 

Dining  Room  and  Breakfast  Room 79 

Old  Deed  "         "     109 

New  Deed  .  "          "     no 


I! 


s 


[Fac-simile  of  the  invitation  issued  to  their  guests  by  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution.] 


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at  htm  n'rlark     .  w. 


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i#  &*xr*tt&attt*  0£©U»*r  nni>  ^.bitjail 
In  lh<  Cf  un«Hrut  Sauglilf  r*  at  the 


livtr  3cll>8m»0rHi  tuitc  tarn  in  1745. 
0«rt  of  tli*  £lale  o 
<t  nt#ntb<r  uf  J!i#  Counril  nf  ^al'*t^,  ant  vf  itte  framers  nf 
llj*  ^ffetrnl  Co»*HtisHon,  A 

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County,     -     -  jftrs.  6eor0*  ^S.  ^unnell, 


County,   -      -  <Mr*. 

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3101m 


Calft 


HOUSE    COMMITTEE. 


Miss  JENNIE  LOOMIS,  Chairman 

Mrs.  Lucien  B.  Loomis  Mrs.  Timothy  S.  Phelps 

Mrs.  Walter  W.   Loomis  Mrs.  Nathaniel   W.   Hayden 

Miss  Mary  E.  Power 
Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth  Chapter. 

Mrs.  E.  J.  Ellsworth  Geer 
Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter. 

Mrs.  P.  W.   Street  Mrs.  Frederic  T.  Murless 

Mrs.  Warren  W.  Cooper  Mrs.  Arthur  D.  Coffin 

Mrs.  Charles  C.  Bissell  Mrs.  John  R.   Montgomery 

Sibbil  Divight  Kent  Chapter. 


SUB-COMMITTEE  ON  THE  PAPERING  OF  THE  HOUSE. 


Miss  Mary  C.  Spencer  Mrs.  E.  J.  Ellsworth  Geer 

Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter. 

Miss  Marian  E.  Gross 
Nathan  Hale  Memorial  Chapter. 


THE  DAY  AT  WINDSOR. 

BY  MRS.  CHARLES  WHITTLESEY  PICKETT. 

October  the  eighth,  1903,  marked  without  doubt  the  most 
important  event  in  the  history  of  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution,  and  it  may  not  be  overstepping  the 
bounds  of  fact  to  add,  the  most  important  in  this  organization 
in  any  state. 

This  was  the  acceptance,  with  appropriate  ceremonies,  of  The 
Ellsworth  Homestead  at  Windsor,  which  was  presented  to  the 
Connecticut  Daughters  by  the  one  hundred  and  sixteen  heirs  of 
Oliver  Ellsworth,  and  the  gift  of  this  old  homestead,  rich  in 
history,  tradition  and  association,  is  almost  without  a  parallel; 
certainly  this  is  true  in  the  Society  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution. 

The  conception  of  this  project  took  place  in  the  patriotic 
brain  and  warm  heart  of  Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin  Porter  of 
New  Haven,  one  of  the  Ellsworth  heirs. 

To  win  over  more  than  one  hundred  prospective  heirs  to 
sign  away  their  inherent  right  to  a  property  valuable  in  mem- 
ories and  history  was  no  light  task,  but  with  beautiful  tact,  Mrs. 
Porter  succeeded  in  convincing  everyone  of  them  that  its  pre- 
sentation to  the  Connecticut  Daughters  would  place  the  old 
home  in  permanent  and  appreciative  hands. 

The  last  Ellsworth  descendants  residing  there  had  passed 
away  and  there  was  not  one  out  of  the  large  number  of  heirs 
who  desired  to  make  their  home  at  Windsor.  Its  preservation 
materially  and  historically  was  assured  if  it  were  given  to  the 
Society  and  in  due  time  the  willing  signature  of  each  was 
obtained,  the  youngest  compelled  to  make  his  mark,  education 
not  having  been  begun. 

The  Ellsworth  Homestead  had  descended  in  the  family  since 
1665.  Oliver  Ellsworth,  who  made  the  place  famous,  was  born 
in  1745  and  died  in  November,  1807. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  a  United 
States  Senator  from  1789  to  1796,  third  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States,  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  France. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  19 

The  house  simply  exhales  interesting  history  and  in  every 
room  are  suggestions  of  the  fine  old  family  life  which  made 
its  most  distinguished  member  exclaim  on  one  occasion  as  he 
reached  his  home  gate :  "Windsor  is  the  best  town,  in  the  best 
state,  in  the  best  country  in  the  world." 

Passing  lightly  over  the  months  of  work  on  Mrs.  Porter's 
part,  the  writing  of  scores  of  letters  to  heirs  scattered  all 
up  and  down  the  land,  and  waiting  for  replies  which  ever 
necessitated  an  answer,  and  the  corresponding  amount  of  official 
work  on  the  State  Regent's  part  in  presenting  the  project  to  the 
different  chapters  and  awaiting  their  sanction  and  support,  and 
all  this  followed  by  the  long  summer  of  preparation,  during 
which  the  house  was  renovated  and  repaired,  papered  and 
painted,  rechimneyed  and  redrained  and  altogether  put  in  a 
state  worthy  the  inspection  of  every  critical  Daughter  in  the 
state,  not  to  mention  the  Governor  and  his  staff  and  the  many 
illustrious  guests  who  were  bidden  to  come  and  rejoice  with 
the  Daughters  over  their  new  possession,  all  entailing  an 
immense  amount  of  thought  and  wise  judgment,  let  us  come 
to  the  day  when  all  was  ready  for  the  great  event. 

Five  hundred  beautifully  engraved  invitations  were  issued 
to  Governor  Chamberlain  and  staff  and  to  other  state  officials, 
to  national  officers  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution, military  officers,  clergymen  and  men  prominent  in  busi- 
ness and  educational  circles,  the  Daughters  themselves  being 
a  kind  of  collective  hostess  with  Mrs.  Kinney,  their  official 
representative. 

The  weather,  while  not  perfect,  was  far  from  bad  as  a  ran- 
dom selection  from  the  month  of  October,  when  warmth  and 
sunshine  both  can  hardly  be  counted  on  with  assurance.  A 
strong  Windsor  wind  was  blowing  which  disarranged  feminine 
fripperies  and  sent  the  dust  and  leaves  swirling  through  the 
air  somewhat  to  the  discomfort  of  the  company,  but  after  all, 
the  Daughters  considered  themselves  fortunate  that  it  was  no 
worse. 

The  old  house  looked  bright  and  shining  in  its  new  coat 
of  paint,  dainty  white  muslin  curtains  finished  with  ball  fringe 
draping  the  small  paned  windows. 

The  Stars  and  Stripes  waved  from  several  of  the  large  elm 
trees  in  the  yard,  nine  still  remaining  of  the  thirteen  planted 


20  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

a  century  ago  by  Oliver  Ellsworth's  own  hands,  one  for  each 
of  the  original  states. 

The  Connecticut  flag  and  the  insignia  of  the  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution  were  hung  in  effective  places,  and 
over  the  "Porch"  on  which  the  speakers  were  seated,  were 
suspended  two  draped  American  flags  framing  a  spinning 
wheel  and  distaff,  the  emblem  of  the  Society. 

The  guests  arrived  from  every  point  by  trolley,  by  train 
and  by  private  conveyance,  and  by  eleven  o'clock  fully  five 
hundred  persons  were  scattered  about  the  house  and  lawn  and 
as  many  more  were  expected  in  the  afternoon. 

The  morning  was  delightfully  passed  inspecting  the  house 
and  the  large  number  of  choice  antiquities  already  in  place. 

The  list  has  been  added  to  until  at  the  present  time  of  writ- 
ing (ten  months  later)  the  house  is  fully  furnished  with  a 
most  complete  and  valuable  collection  of  Colonial  and  Revolu- 
tionary relics,  and  gifts  of  the  chapters  and  individual  mem- 
bers. Nothing  has  been  offered  save  the  choicest  and  most 
historical  articles  procurable  and  the  result  is  satisfactory  to 
the  most  critical  connoisseur. 

Between  twelve  and  one  o'clock  a  "pocket  luncheon"  was 
eaten  al  fresco,  little  groups  scattered  about  the  lawn,  chatting 
as  they  enjoyed  the  informal  picnic. 

Soon  after  one  o'clock  a  buzz  of  anticipation  began  to  make 
itself  felt  and  expectant  eyes  were  turned  toward  Windsor 
station,  from  whence  the  Governor  and  his  staff  and  the 
speakers  would  appear. 

After  many  false  alarms  the  faint  notes  of  Hatch's  band 
of  Hartford  could  be  heard  and  every  one  hastened  to  advan- 
tageous positions  to  see  the  procession  arrive. 

It  was  nearly  two  o'clock  when  the  band  appeared  in  view, 
and  closely  following  were  the  brilliant  uniformed  members  of 
the  First  Company,  Governor's  Foot  Guard,  organized  in  1771. 
And  what  a  brave  showing  they  made  as  they  marched  with  a 
long  swinging  stride,  their  red  coats  making  vivid  splashes  of 
color  against  the  autumn  landscape. 

Following  the  Foot  Guard  were  the  carriages  containing 
Governor  Abiram  Chamberlain  and  members  of  his  staff, 
invited  guests  and  members  of  the  Ellsworth  family,  fifty  in 
number,  who  had  been  enjoying  a  reunion  breakfast  in  Hart- 
ford in  the  morning.  Among  the  number  were  some  who  had 


DRAWING    ROOM. 
(For  description  of  sofa,  see  page  54) 


THE    STATE     REGENT    WELCOMING     THE     GOVERNOR     OF 
CONNECTICUT   TO    THE   ELLSWORTH   HOME- 
STEAD, OCT.  8,   1903. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  21 

their  first  sight  of  their  ancestral  homestead  simultaneously  with 
its  going  out  of  the  possession  of  the  Ellsworth  family. 

A  most  significant  moment  was  when  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
were  unfurled  from  the  new  flag  staff  on  the  lawn  at  the 
moment  the  Governor  alighted  from  his  carriage.  The  Amer- 
ican flag  meant  a  great  deal  to  those  who,  like  Oliver  Ells- 
worth, brought  it  into  being.  It  seemed  eminently  fitting  that 
it  should  float  from  every  tree  on  this  occasion  when  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  were  met  together  to 
receive  into  sacred  custody  the  home  of  one  who  did  so  much 
for  American  freedom. 

Underlying  all  the  exercises  of  the  day  was  this  beauti- 
ful thought,  that  "Honor  was  being  given  where  honor  was 
due,"  and  that  even  after  a  lapse  of  a  century  or  more,  the 
worth  and  work  of  Oliver  Ellsworth  were  being  appreciated 
and  valued. 

Another  interesting  moment  was  when  the  State  Regent 
descended  the  steps  to  welcome  the  chief  executive  of  the  state. 
The  photographer  caught  the  group  at  exactly  the  right  instant, 
as  the  accompanying  illustration  will  show  and  posterity  can 
enjoy  the  moment  with  those  who  saw  it. 

To  one  given  to  introspection  there  was  plenty  of  food  for 
thought  on  that  day.  Looking  at  the  well  preserved,  finely 
built  old  mansion,  how  the  mind  would  hark  back  to  the  days 
when  the  Senator  and  Ambassador  came  back  to  his  beloved 
home  on  the  Connecticut  River.  One  could  see  in  fancy  his 
strong  featured  and  rugged  physique  as  he  alighted  from  his 
horse  at  his  gate  and  looked  about  with  eyes  softened  with 
pride  and  love  for  home.  No  other  way  to  his  remote  abode 
than  by  horseback  or  boat,  what  would  he  think  if  he  could  see 
this  great  company  gathered  on  his  lawn,  coming  from  all 
over  the  state  in  two  or  three  hours'  time,  and  a  trolley  line  soon 
to  pass  his  door? 

And  all  of  these  years  the  house  has  stood  there,  until  it 
has  been  gathered  into  nearness  with  the  outside  world,  through 
the  medium  of  two  great  modern  inventions,  steam  and  elec- 
tricity, both  unknown  factors  in  locomotion  when  Oliver  Ells- 
worth lived. 

Maybe  the  old  house  resents  the  publicity  and  the  invasion 
of  its  longtime  seclusion — who  can  tell? 


22  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

And  it  was  all  of  these  things  which  came  to  the  Daughters 
of  Connecticut  along  with  the  house  and  home  lot  on  that 
October  day  in  1903,  the  things  which  cannot  be  seen  with 
the  eye,  nor  touched  with  the  hand,  but  which  are  really  the 
largest  and  most  valuable  part  of  the  gift  they  have  received 
in  the  Ellsworth  Homestead. 

One  of  the  remarkable  facts  in  connection  with  its  trans- 
ference to  the  Daughters,  is  that  since  the  first  deed  was  drawn 
up,  giving  to  the  first  Ellsworth  in  1665  a  claim  to  that  section, 
there  has  been  no  deed  or  conveyance  of  an  inch  of  land  to 
anyone  until  at  the  moment  when  Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin 
Porter  handed  to  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney  the  signed  deed  of  the 
property. 

The  house  is  a  fine  example  of  the  old  New  England  style  of 
architecture.  Roomy,  plain  and  dignified,  it  typifies  most  fit- 
tingly the  kind  of  men  and  women  who  lived  their  upright, 
wholesome,  austere  lives  within  its  walls. 

Especially  loaned  for  the  celebration  were  some  valuable 
heirlooms  of  the  Ellsworth  family,  descriptions  of  which  will 
be  found  in  the  appended  list. 

One  of  the  important  features  of  the  day  was  the  registra- 
tion of  visitors  in  the  guest  book,  the  State  Regent  heading  the 
list  and  followed  by  the  Governor  and  other  distinguished 
guests. 

The  book  itself  was  a  thing  of  beauty,  bound  in  blue  crushed 
levant,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  William  H.  Moseley,  at  that  time  the 
Regent  of  the  Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter  of  New  Haven ;  but 
I  am  warned  that  this  is  encroaching  on  another's  territory, 
as  the  superb  collection  of  gifts  presented  to  the  Ellsworth 
Homestead  forms  an  adequate  theme  for  the  careful  work  of 
another. 

About  fifty  descendants  of  Oliver  Ellsworth  were  present 
at  the  exercises. 

The  only  representative  of  Oliver  Ellsworth's  oldest  daughter, 
Abigail,  who  married  Professor  Williams,  who  was  present, 
was  Miss  Augusta  H.  Williams. 

The  line  of  Martin  Ellsworth,  the  oldest  son,  who  owned 
the  homestead,  was  represented  by  Hon.  Henry  E.  Taintor,  Mrs. 
Taintor,  Miss  Lucy  Taintor,  William  Taintor  and  two 
daughters,  all  of  Hartford;  Mrs.  Frederick  Wendell  Davis, 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  23 

Miss  Dorothy  Davis,  Roger  Wolcott  Davis,  Frederick  Ells- 
worth Davis,  Elise  Pierrepont  Davis ;  Mrs.  Hall,  wife  of  Com- 
mander Martin  Ellsworth  Hall  of  the  United  States  Navy; 
Richards  Wyckoff  Hall,  Somerville,  Massachusetts ;  George  V. 
Curtis,  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  and  Ruth  Curtis,  Windsor. 
Descendants  of  Frances  Ellsworth,  who  married  Judge 
Joseph  Wood  of  New  Haven,  present  were;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Washington  Irving  Vinal,  of  Washington,  where  Mr.  Vinal 
is  coast  surveyor;  George  Wood  Merwin  Vinal  of  Wesleyan 
College.  Descendants  of  Frances  Ellsworth's  daughter,  Delia, 
who  married  Chester  Lyman  of  the  Sheffield  Scientific  School, 
were  Mrs.  Charles  D.  McCandliss,  Professor  and  Mrs.  Frank 
C.  Porter,  of  New  Haven,  and  Chester  W.  Lyman  of  New  York 
City. 

The  line  of  Governor  William  W.  Ellsworth,  who  married 
Emily  Webster,  daughter  of  the  famous  lexicographer,  Noah 
Webster,  was  present  in  the  persons  of  Attorney  and  Mrs. 
Ernest  Bradford  Ellsworth,  Mrs.  Emily  Ellsworth  Anderson, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Dobson  Parker,  Rev.  Wolcott  Webster  Ells- 
worth, Mrs.  Norborne  Nicholas  of  Geneva,  New  York,  a 
daughter  of  President  Jackson,  formerly  of  Trinity  College, 
who  married  an  Ellsworth;  Mr.  William  Webster  Ellsworth 
of  the  Century  Company,  New  York,  Mrs.  Ellsworth,  Mrs. 
Creevy  of  New  York,  Bradford  Ellsworth,  Helen  Ellsworth, 
Elizabeth  Ellsworth  and  Waldo  Hutchins  of  Geneva. 

The  only  representative  of  Henry  W.  Ellsworth,  son  of 
Henry  Leavitt  Ellsworth,  twin  to  the  Governor  and  the  first 
commissioner  of  patents,  was  Miss  Marie  Stuart,  Smith  College 
'99,  of  Lafayette,  Indiana. 

The  Henry  L.  Ellsworth  branch  was  represented  by  Mrs. 
George  Inness,  Jr.,  wife  of  the  well-known  artist  and  daughter 
of  Roswell  Smith,  founder  of  the  Century  Magazine,  and  Annie 
Goodrich  Ellsworth,  who,  under  the  direction  of  S.  B.  Morse, 
sent  the  first  telegraphic  message  May  24,  1844;  and  Miss 
Juliet  Inness. 

Mrs.  Mary  Prout  West  of  Rutland,  Vermont,  although  not 
of  Ellsworth  lineage,  gave  her  inherited  portion  of  "Elmwood," 
and  was  present,  also  Mrs.  and  Miss  Richards,  who  are  con- 
nected by  marriage  with  one  of  the  Martin  Ellsworth  branches. 


24  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

James  W.  Otis  of  New  York,  a  collateral  descendant  of 
Oliver  Ellsworth,  was  one  of  the  distinguished  guests,  as  were 
Mrs.  Williston  Walker,  secretary  of  the  Connecticut  Society 
of  the  Colonial  Dames  of  America  and  representing  that 
society,  and  Mrs.  Katharine  R.  (Wolcott)  Verplanck,  who 
has  been  president  of  the  New  York  Colonial  Dames,  as  well 
as  a  state  regent  for  the  New  York  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution. 


By  invitation  of  the  State  Regent  the  following  gentlemen 
served  as  a  special  committee  to  receive  Governor  Chamberlain 
and  his  party  and  other  guests  at  Windsor,  and  escort  them  to 
the  Homestead: 

MR.  NATHANIEL  W.  HAYDEN       REV.  FREDERICK  W.  HARRIMAN 
HON.  D.  ELLSWORTH  PHELPS       MR.  HORACE  H.  ELLSWORTH 
MR.  WILLIAM  H.  FILLEY 


PROGRAMME. 


MRS.  KINNEY,  Regent  of  Connecticut,  Presiding. 


INVOCATION,  .         .  Right  Rev.  CHAUNCEY  B.  BREWSTER 

Bishop  of  Connecticut. 

HYMN,  "For  Home  and  Country,"  SINGING  BY  CONSOLIDATED  CHAPTER 

GLEE  CLUBS. 

Under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  S.  S.  Thompson,  of  New  Haven; 

Mrs.    Elmer  Beardsley,    of  Bridgeport,   and   Mrs. 

Louis   R.    Curtis,    of   Southington. 

A  GREETING,    .         .         .By  His  Excellency  ABIRAM  CHAMBERLAIN 

Governor  of  Connecticut. 

ADDRESS, Mr.  WILLIAM  W.  ELLSWORTH 

Presentation  of  the  deed  of  the  Homestead  by  Mrs.  Frank  C.  Porter. 

Acceptance  in  behalf  of  the  Connecticut  D.  A.  R.,  by  Mrs.  Kinney, 

State  Regent. 

SINGING,  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner,"   Soloist,  Mrs.  S.  S.  THOMPSON 

Accompanied   by   Hatch's   Military   Band. 

ADDRESS,  "Oliver  Ellsworth,"      .          .          Mr.  ARTHUR  L.  SHIPMAN 

of  Hartford. 

SINGING,  "The  Darby  Ram,"     .         .    By  the  CHAPTER  GLEE  CLUBS 
LETTERS,  .          .          .       Read  by  the  Hon.  HENRY  E.  TAINTOR 

REMARKS,        ....        Mrs.  JOHN  MARSHALL  HOLCOMBE 
MUSIC,  "America,"      .          .          .          .     To  be  sung  by  the  audience 

With  Band  Accompaniment. 

BENEDICTION,  .         .         ,         ..By  the  Rev.  ROSCOE  NELSON 

of  Windsor 


RECEPTION  TO  GOVERNOR  AND  MRS.  CHAMBERLAIN  FOLLOWED  BY  AN 

INSPECTION  OF  THE  HOMESTEAD  AND  BAND  CONCERT 

ON  THE  LAWN. 


The  first  Company  Governor's  Foot  Guard  of  Hartford,  acting  on  this  occasion 
as  escort  for  His  Excellency,  was  organized  in  1771,  and  in  point  of  continuous 
service  is  the  oldest  volunteer  military  organization  in  the  United  States. 


EXERCISES    AND    ADDRESSES. 

Compiled  by  Elizabeth  C.  Barney  Buel. 

The  exercises,  which  were  held  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  the 
house,  began  at  2  o'clock.  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney  of  New 
Haven,  State  Regent  of  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  presided.  The  Regent  and  speakers 
occupied  seats  on  the  colonnade.  The  invited  guests  were 
seated  on  chairs  placed  on  carpet  facing  the  colonnade,  the  lower 
part  of  which  was  decorated  with  blue  and  white  bunting. 

The  invocation  was  made  by  the  Right  Rev.  Chauncey  B. 
Brewster,  Bishop  of  Connecticut.  The  following  hymn,  "For 
Home  and  Country,"  words  by  Miss  Ella  Fanning,  was  then 
sung  by  the  Consolidated  Chapter  Glee  Clubs  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Mrs.  S.  S.  Thompson  of  New  Haven,  Mrs.  Elmer 
Beardsley  of  Bridgeport,  and  Mrs.  Louis  R.  Curtis  of  South- 
ington : — 

"FOR  HOME  AND  COUNTRY." 

Offspring  of  noble  sires, 
Proud  of  our  heritage, 
Ours  to  rehearse  the  deeds 
Heroes  have  done. 
Ours  to  repeat  the  cry 
Fired  them  in  days  gone  by, 
"For  home  and  country  fair," 
To  do  or  die. 

Daughter,  or  Son,  or  Dame, 
Ours  in  fond  memory 
Still  to  keep  unimpaired 
Glory   they've   won ; 
Ours  to  restore  to  fame 
Each   half-forgotten   name, 
By  home  and  country  fair. 
Not  one  shall  die ! 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  27 

Hope  of  the  land,  arise ! 

Proud  in  your  privilege, 

Fondly  the  graves  revere 

Where  heroes  lie ! 

Each  faded  flag  ye  hoard, 

Each   rude  and  bloodstained  sword, 

Speaks  in  resounding  tones 

Which  ne'er  shall  die. 

God  of  the  patriot 

Heed  our  endeavoring 

Thou  who  our  fathers'  prayers 

Didst  not  deny; 

Blest  by  thy  love  divine 

Each  haunt  shall  prove  a  shrine, 

Source  of  true  freedom's  fire 

Born  ne'er  to  die. 


Mrs.  Kinney  then  introduced  Governor  Chamberlain  as 
follows : — 

I  do  not  intend  to  trench  upon  the  province  of  the  distinguished 
gentleman  who  is  to  greet  you  in  the  name  of  the  State  of  Connecticut, 
but  I  cannot  refrain  from  extending  just  a  word  of  welcome  from  the 
Connecticut  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  to  the  guests  who 
are  with  us  today,  and  very  particularly  to  the  descendants  of  Oliver 
and  Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth,  who  have  come  from  far  and  near 
to  join  us  in  honoring  the  memory  of  one  of  Connecticut's  most  illus- 
trious statesmen  and  jurists,  and  that  of  his  wife,  Abigail  Wolcott,  the 
patron  saint  of  the  local  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion. To  the  State  of  Connecticut  the  Ellsworth  Homestead  will  here- 
after be  what  Mount  Vernon  is  to  the  nation — a  Mecca  for  patriotic  pil- 
grims— a  shrine  dedicated  to  all  that  was  noblest  and  purest  in  the 
lives  and  homes  of  our  forefathers  and  foremothers. 

For  the  interest  in  our  work  and  your  presence  here  to-day,  the 
Daughters  thank  you  heartily.  You  are  as  welcome  as  the  flowers  of 
spring,  and  so,  I  pray  you,  think  yourselves.  A  few  days  ago  I  received 
a  letter  from  Governor  Chamberlain,  in  which  he  wrote :  "The  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution  have  done,  and  are  doing  so  much  in  the 
direction  of  keeping  alive  the  spirit  of  patriotism,  that  there  is  no  honor 
too  great  for  the  state  to  confer  upon  them." 

Perhaps  I  may  say  to  you,  though  confidentially,  of  course,  that  I 
entirely  agree  with  the  Governor  on  this  point — and  I  may  also  add 
that  the  highest  honor  in  the  power  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution  to  confer  upon  their  guests  to-day  is  to  introduce  to  them  the 
chief  executive  of  the  commonwealth  of  Connecticut — Governor  Abiram 
Chamberlain. 


28  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

GOVERNOR  CHAMBERLAIN'S  SPEECH. 

Through  your  kindness  I  have  the  great  privilege  of  being  with  you 
to-day  to  commemorate  the  services  to  the  state  and  nation  of  Oliver 
Ellsworth.  I  observe  from  your  programme  that  I  am  to  make  an  address 
of  welcome  and  I  am  more  than  willing  to  make  it  with  the  lowest 
bow  possible.  Whatever  I  can  do  to  make  the  day  a  success  I  am  more 
than  anxious  to  do,  and  I  must  be  careful  or  I  shall  make  a  speech.  I 
have  attended  so  many  fairs  that  I  am  in  danger  of  talking  of  the  vege- 
tables and  fruits  and  live  stock,  when  I  ought  to  talk  about  patriotism. 
Our  national  life  depends  on  patriotism,  and  that  is  taught  by  our 
mothers,  who  begin  our  education  with  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  follow 
it  with  the  story  of  George  Washington  and  the  cherry  tree.  Our  state 
commander  of  the  Grand  Army  spoke  truly  when  he  said  that  the 
women  saved  the  country  in  '61,  for  they  sent  the  men  to  the  front 
and  suffered  at  home.  I  do  not  wish  to  close  without  reference  to 
the  splendid  work  of  your  Regent,  who  is  continuing  that  of  her  noble 
husband.  The  Foot  Guard  attend  me  voluntarily  to-day,  but  they  do  this 
all  the  more  willingly  when  they  think  of  Major  Jack  Kinney,  to  whose 
memory  they  are  devoted.  In  the  name  of  the  State  of  Connecticut  I 
bid  you  godspeed,  and  salute  and  greet  you. 

In  introducing  Mr.  Ellsworth  Mrs.  Kinney  said: — 

The  gratification  that  is  felt  by  the  hostesses  of  this  occasion  in  the 
presence  of  some  fifty  descendants  of  Oliver  and  Abigail  Wolcott 
Ellsworth,  is  augmented  by  the  fact  that  three  of  these  descendants  are 
to  take  part  in  the  exercises  of  the  afternoon.  The  gentleman  who 
will  now  address  us  is  a  great-grandson  of  Oliver  and  Abigail  Wol- 
cott Ellsworth,  a  Hartford  man  by  birth,  and  a  writer  on  historical 
subjects,  of  whom  it  cannot  be  said — as  of  some  prophets  of  old — 
that  he  is  not  without  honor  save  in  his  own  country. 

Hartford  delights  to  honor  Mr.  Ellsworth,  so  does  the  State  of 
Connecticut,  and  the  Daughters  are  honored  in  having  him  as  their 
guest  on  this  occasion. 

I  take  great  pleasure  in  presenting  to  you  Mr.  William  Webster  Ells- 
worth of  New  York  City. 

MR.  ELLSWORTH'S  ADDRESS. 

I  am  asked  to  say  a  few  words  as  a  representative  of  the  family  of 
the  man  whom  you  have  met  to  honor.  That  we  are  descended  from 
Oliver  Ellsworth  has  always  been  our  pride.  There  were  other  Ells- 
worths before  him — good  men  and  true,  and  useful  in  their  genera- 
tion— but  we  have  never  cared  to  go  back  to  them ;  to  have  come  down 
from  the  Chief  Justice  was  enough.  His  father,  David,  and  his  earlier 
ancestor,  Josias,  "both  were  pious,"  as  the  "New  England  Primer"  says 
of  the  first  worthies  who  bore  those  names;  but  Oliver  Ellsworth  was 
a  great  man,  and  in  our  human  weakness  that  counts  for  more  than 
piety. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  29 

And  one  reason  that  we  have  rejoiced  in  our  descent  from  the  Chief 
Justice  is  the  fact  that  it  has  brought  us  a  little  nearer  to  the  immortal 
leader  whom  he  loved  and  honored — and  who  in  the  wisdom  of  provi- 
dence left  no  descendants ;  coming  from  such  an  exalted  source,  they 
would  have  been  positively  unbearable  by  this  time.  For  many  years 
I  felt  an  especial  nearness  to  Washington,  because  I  could  say  that  1 
used  to  sit  upon  my  grandfather's  knee  while  he  sang  me  that  song  of 
"The  Darby  Ram,"  which  General  Washington  had  sung  to  him,  a  little 
boy,  sitting  upon  the  general's  knee.  But  the  unwelcome  researches  of 
a  relative  have  brought  to  light  the  fact  that  my  grandfather  was  not 
born  until  two  years  after  General  Washington  visited  Elmwood  and 
sang  that  historic  ditty  to  some  of  the  Ellsworth  children.  And  prob- 
ing my  conscience,  I  am  unable  to  remember  that  my  grandfather  ever 
sang  it  to  me  at  all.  Doubtless,  some  recollections  of  your  own  children 
rest  upon  an  equally  insecure  basis. 

That  Washington  was  a  friend  of  Oliver  Ellsworth,  that  he  trusted  him, 
appointed  him  to  high  office,  and  was  even  said  to  have  desired  to  have 
him  for  his  successor,  has  been  our  just  pride;  and  above  all  do  we  take 
pleasure  in  a  letter  from  Washington  to  the  Chief  Justice,  written  just 
as  the  retiring  President  was  about  to  seek  his  final  rest  at  Mount  Ver- 
non,  with  its  closing  words,  "Affectionately  yours."  For  Washington 
was  not  demonstrative,  and  few  of  his  letters  written  to  those  not  of 
his  own  family  express  a  sentiment  of  affection.  [See  page  40.] 

Here  in  this  quiet  home  were  passed  the  happiest  hours  of  a  life 
devoted  to  his  country's  service.  To  this  mansion,  under  the  elms 
planted  by  him  in  honor  of  the  thirteen  states  whose  existence  he  had 
helped  to  secure,  Oliver  Ellsworth  came  again  and  again,  wearied  with 
the  cares  of  office  and  the  party  turmoils  of  his  time.  At  yonder  gate- 
way, before  greeting  his  family,  he  bowed  in  prayer  when  he  returned 
from  his  mission  to  France.  It  is  most  fitting  that  this  old  mansion, 
rich  in  memories  of  the  days  of  our  country's  birth,  should  pass  into 
the  hands  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  whose  unselfish 
devotion  has  done  more  for  patriotic  effort  than  the  work  of  any  other 
society  in  America,  and  nowhere  have  its  results  been  more  apparent 
than  in  this  noble  old  commonwealth  of  Connecticut. 

May  the  occupancy  of  Elmwood — the  home  of  an  honest,  God-fearing 
patriot — be  an  inspiration  to  those  who  are  to  meet  within  its  walls,  that 
they  may  continue  to  consecrate  the  places  identified  with  those  who 
made  our  country's  greatness  possible,  giving  to  generations  that  follow 
a  deeper  veneration  for  noble  deeds  and  noble  men. 

We  are  proud  today  of  one  at  least  of  the  living  members  of  our 
family.  To  Mrs.  Delia  Lyman  Porter  of  New  Haven  the  credit  is  due 
for  the  labors  which  have  made  this  gift  possible.  By  her,  almost  alone, 
the  money  has  been  raised,  the  work  accomplished.  I  take  great  pleas- 
ure in  introducing  Mrs.  Porter,  who  will  present  the  deeds  of  the 
house,  in  the  name  of  the  family,  to  the  State  Regent  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution. 


30  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

PRESENTATION  OF  THE  DEED. 
In  presenting  the  deed  Mrs.  Porter  said: — 

Through  the  cordial  cooperation  and  generosity  of  the  descendants 
of  Oliver  Ellsworth,  this  gift  of  Elmwood  to  the  Connecticut  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution  has  been  made  possible. 

The  names  of  those  who  have  either  surrendered  inherited  rights  or 
contributed  sums  of  money  for  this  object  are  written  in  this  little 
book,  bound  in  Revolutionary  chintz  and  homespun  linen  from  the  Elm- 
wood  of  a  hundred  years  ago. 

It  contains  the  names  of  forty  great-grandchildren  of  Oliver  Ells- 
worth, fifty-nine  great-great-grandchildren,  and  seventeen  great-great- 
great-grandchildren,  numbering  in  all  one  hundred  and  sixteen,  and  com- 
prising every  descendant  of  the  Chief  Justice.  They  are  scattered  from 
Maine  to  California,  from  Canada  to  Louisiana,  and  extend  even  to 
Japan  and  the  Philippine  Islands.  There  have  also  united  in  this  gift 
two  who  have  given  of  their  inherited  share  in  Elmwood,  though  not 
of  Ellsworth  lineage,  and  another  whose  interest  has  been  promoted  by 
collateral  relationship  only. 

As  in  the  name  of  these  donors,  I  give  into  your  hands  this  deed  of 
the  house  and  adjoining  land,  I  wish  to  express  to  you  their  deep  joy 
and  satisfaction  that  a  spot  so  dear  to  them  is  to  be  henceforth  in  the 
guardianship  of  so  capable,  so  energetic  and  so  patriotic  a  body  of 
women  as  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution.  Nor 
can  I  refrain  from  a  personal  word  of  admiration  at  the  unwearied 
enthusiasm  and  unmeasured  devotion  with  which  their  Regent  has  car- 
ried through  the  great  labor  of  her  part  of  this  undertaking.  To  her, 
as  to  her  efficient  co-workers,  I  would  express  the  hearty  appreciation 
of  Oliver  Ellsworth's  descendants. 

In  accepting  the  deed  Mrs.  Kinney  said : — 

As  the  official  representative  of  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  it  is  my  happy  privilege  to  receive  from  your 
hands  the  deed  of  the  Ellsworth  Homestead,  and  in  their  behalf  to 
extend  to  you  and  to  all  interested  descendants  of  Oliver  and  Abigail 
Wolcott  Ellsworth,  their  grateful  acknowledgments  for  the  unique 
and  most  interesting  gift  which  has  been  bestowed  upon  this  historical 
organization.  The  money  value  of  the  gift  is  generously  large,  but 
the  value  of  its  striking  historical  associations  and  the  tender  mem- 
ories that  cluster  about  it  and  will  always  be  part  and  parcel  of  the 
Ellsworth  Homestead  will  never  be  listed  on  Wall  Street,  for  such 
values  cannot  be  computed  in  coin  of  the  realm.  I  know  that  I  speak 
for  every  Connecticut  Daughter  of  the  American  Revolution,  whether 
present  or  absent,  when  I  say  that  we  are  greatly  touched  by  the  earnest 
and  cordial  unanimity  with  which  the  Ellsworth  descendants  have 
decreed  this  gift  to  the  care  and  custody  of  this  Society.  No  higher 
and  no  more  significant  compliment  could  possibly  be  paid  this  con- 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  31 

tingent  of  the  great  national  organization  which  it  has  the  honor  to 
represent,  than  is  implied  in  the  bestowal  of  the  gift,  and  the  confidence 
which  the  act  indicates  in  our  worthiness,  as  a  society,  to  receive,  and 
our  desire  and  ability  to  preserve  it. 

One  of  the  special  objects  and  aims  of  our  organization  as  stated  in 
its  constitution,  is  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  spirit  of  the  men 
and  women  who  achieved  American  independence  by — among  other 
things — the  acquisition  and  protection  of  historical  spots.  With  the 
acquisition  of  this  Homestead  it  becomes  possible  for  us  to  do  much 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  spirit  of  Oliver  and  Abigail  Wolcott 
Ellsworth — and  thus  to  fulfill  the  obligation  imposed  upon  us,  not 
only  by  our  national  constitution,  but  by  the  inheritance  of  Revolutionary 
blood  which  flows  in  the  veins  of  every  Daughter  of  the  American 
Revolution. 

There  is  always  a  pathos  overshadowing  the  passing  of  an  ancestral 
home  into  strange  hands.  For  the  Ellsworth  descendants  who  know  and 
love  this  place,  there  are  tongues  in  these  trees,  sermons  in  these 
stones,  and  happy  memories  associated  with  every  nook  and  corner 
of  the  house.  I  doubt  not  that  to-day  many  an  Ellsworth  heart  is 
beating  a  little  faster  than  usual,  and  possibly  there  is  an  added  sense 
of  homesick  pain  at  the  thought  that  the  time  has  now  come  for 
saying  a  last  farewell  to  the  dear  old  place.  But  why  say  it?  Why 
even  entertain  the  thought  that  these  exercises  are  in  the  nature  of  a 
farewell?  By  the  condition  of  this  legal  document  the  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution  will  provide  for  what  may  perhaps  be  called 
the  material  welfare  of  the  Homestead,  but  in  a  very  true  sense  it 
will  still  belong  to  the  Ellsworths,  for  so  long  as  these  walls  shall 
stand,  the  Homestead  will  be  redolent  with  the  fragrant  memory  of  its 
early  occupants,  and  perhaps  no  one  can  assert  with  any  degree  of 
positiveness  that  the  released  spirits  of  Oliver  and  Abigail  Wolcott 
Ellsworth  may  not  still  keep  watch  and  ward  over  the  house  in  which 
they  spent  so  many  happy  years,  and  from  which  they  passed  out  of  life 
into  Life.  You  have  honored  us  with  a  very  sacred  trust,  and  it  shall 
be  as  sacredly  guarded. 

Once  again,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  in  the  name  of  the  Connecticut 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  I  thank  you  for  the  noble  gift 
of  the  Ellsworth  Homestead. 

After  the  singing  of  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner"  by  Mrs. 
S.  S.  Thompson,  accompanied  by  Hatch's  military  band,  Mrs. 
Kinney,  in  the  following  words,  introduced  Mr.  Arthur  L. 
Shipman : — 

We  are  very  fortunate  in  having  with  us  to-day  a  gentleman  who  has 
made  a  careful  study  of  the  private  and  public  life  of  Oliver  Ellsworth, 
and  of  his  influence  as  a  Connecticut  man  and  patriot  in  state,  national 
and  international  affairs.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  wise,  con- 


32  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

servative  and  altogether  wholesome  side  of  Oliver  Ellsworth's  charac- 
ter appeals  to  Mr.  Shipman  more  strongly  perhaps  than  his  more 
brilliant  characteristics — but  whatever  he  can  bring  out  of  his  store- 
house of  knowledge  concerning  the  man  whose  memory  is  revered,  not 
only  in  Connecticut  but  throughout  the  United  States,  will  be  gratefully 
appreciated  by  his  audience. 

I  have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  Mr.  Arthur  L.  Shipman  of  Hart- 
ford, who  will  address  us  upon  Oliver  Ellsworth,  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States. 

MR.  SHIPMAN'S  ADDRESS. 

The  American  people  have  been  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  years 
so  busy  in  making  history  that  the  duty  of  gathering  and  treasuring 
memorials  of  the  past  has  been  largely  overlooked.  Neither  we  nor  our 
ancestors  are  much  to  be  blamed  for  the  oversight.  The  more  praise- 
worthy, however,  are  the  present  efforts  of  the  historical  societies  to 
recover  and  preserve  the  honorable  past,  and  of  those  societies  none 
deserve  our  larger  gratitude  than  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution. It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  when  the  members  of  a  distin- 
guished family  planned  to  yield  to  the  public  one  of  its  choicest  treasures, 
it  selected  as  guardians  our  hostesses  of  today.  Speaking  although 
unworthily  as  one  of  the  beneficiaries  both  of  the  Ellsworth  family  and 
the  Daughters,  let  me  in  behalf  of  the  public  at  large  thank  the  donors 
and  congratulate  our  trustees. 

Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  and  fellow  guests :  It  would 
be  more  fitting,  it  seems  to  me,  if  one  of  Mr.  Ellsworth's  descendants 
said  something  to-day  in  praise  of  his  distinguished  ancestor,  for  the 
time  is  almost  one  hundred  years  later  than  when  he  breathed  his  last  in 
yonder  house.  Certainly  one  need  not  be  sparing  of  praise  of  one's 
relations  after  so  long  a  family  reticence. 

This  place  is  peculiarly  adapted  as  the  scene  of  a  tribute  to  the  char- 
acter and  services  of  Oliver  Ellsworth;  for  he  was  born  in  Windsor 
on  April  29,  1745.  He  died  here  in  1807,  November  26.  He  wanted  to 
live  and  die  here.  He  said  he  had  been  in  many  countries  of  the  world 
and  he  liked  the  United  States  best;  and  of  all  the  United  States,  Con- 
necticut, and  of  all  the  towns  of  Connecticut,  Windsor,  his  own  home, 
the  best.  A  student  for  two  years  at  Yale,  he  graduated  at  Piinceton  in 
1766,  in  debt  for  his  education,  and  his  only  asset  a  small  piece  of 
timber  land  up  the  river  and  the  use  of  a  barren  farm  in  Bloomfield. 
He  could  not  sell  the  land,  and  therefore  cut  the  timber  himself  and 
rafted  it  to  Hartford  for  sale.  He  had  deserted  theology  for  the  law. 
But  daunted  not  at  all  by  the  lack  of  clients  he  married  Abigail  Wol- 
cott — not  a  penny  between  them.  For  three  years  he  worked  his  barren 
farm,  on  court  days  walking  ten  miles  to  Hartford  in  search  of  a  fee. 
For  the  first  three  years  his  total  professional  income  aggregated  three 
pounds,  but  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  be  called  in  an  important  case 
for  a  neighbor  and  handled  it  so  well  that  he  heard  it  whispered  about 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  33 

the  court  room,  "That  young  man  speaks  well,"  and  from  that  time 
forward  his  docket  was  full  of  causes.  Indeed,  at  the  height  of  his 
career  as  a  lawyer,  he  had  between  a  thousand  and  fifteen  hundred 
matters  on  his  books.  He  went  to  the  general  court  from  Windsor  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  war  and  was  on  an  important  committee  on  the  con- 
duct of  the  war,  known  as  the  "pay  table."  He  became  state  attorney 
in  1776,  a  very  important  office  in  those  days.  A  considerable  portion 
of  his  time  was  taken  in  confiscation  proceedings  against  the  land  of 
Tories.  The  notice  of  condemnation  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Peters'  farm 
in  Hebron  (Samuel  Peters  is  not  unknown  to  fame)  is  signed  by  Ells- 
worth as  state  attorney.  He  was  but  thirty-two  when  he  went  to  the  Conti- 
nental Congress  as  one  of  Connecticut's  representatives.  He  was,  however, 
immediately  made  the  head  of  the  committee  on  admiralty  appeals,  and 
there  he  learned  his  first  lesson  which  he  later  put  into  concrete  form 
in  the  judiciary  act.  He  labored  in  Congress,  as  all  the  members  strove, 
to  make  the  articles  of  confederation  workable.  He  kept  "Brother" 
Jonathan  Trumbull  at  home  informed  of  the  progress,  and  most  of 
the  time,  the  backward  steps,  taken  by  the  revolutionists,  but  Jonathan 
Trumbull  responded  with  much  more  alacrity  in  behalf  of  Connecticut 
than  did  the  governors  of  the  other  states  to  the  demands  of  the  Con- 
gress for  aid  and  supplies,  and  that  is  one  great  reason  that  we  had 
any  constitution  at  all.  But  his  services  in  the  Continental  Congress 
were  not  all  spent  in  debates  and  in  correspondence  with  Governor 
Trumbull  and  Lieutenant-Governor  Wolcott.  He  was  learning  during 
these  days  that  the  United  States  could  not  live  as  a  confederacy,  but  must 
be  born  again  to  live  at  all.  When  he  went  back  to  Philadelphia  as  a 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention,  although  he  was  regarded  as 
the  jealous  advocate  and  leader  in  the  cause  of  the  small  states,  he 
was  nevertheless  a  strong  supporter  and  advocate  of  the  union  idea. 
When  the  constitution  passed  in  practically  the  form  drafted  by  the 
committee  of  five,  of  which  he  was  one,  without  waiting  to  sign  it,  he 
rushed  home  to  see  that  Connecticut  did  its  part  toward  ratification. 
He  opened  the  debate,  and  his  speech  is  preserved  for  us  in  the  file  of 
the  Connecticut  Courant.  He  spoke  in  the  First  Church,  which  was 
specially  warmed  by  stoves  for  the  gathering  of  the  convention.  He 
became  one  of  the  governor's  council,  which  meant  that  he  was  a 
judge  of  our  supreme  court,  and  held  that  a  married  woman  could  not 
make  a  will  under  the  law  as  it  then  existed — pretty  severe  law  for 
the  matrons  of  those  days.  He  took  office  under  the  new  constitution 
as  senator,  and  there  continued  until  he  was  made  chief  justice  in 
1796.  When  he  accepted  the  office  of  chief  justice  he  wrote  former 
Governor  Wolcott  that  he  hoped  that  his  action  would  not  be  regarded 
as  disrespectful  to  Connecticut.  It  is  hard  to  realize  that  the  state  lines 
were  drawn  so  sharply  one  hundred  years  ago. 

Ellsworth  in  this  brief  account  seems  to  have  risen  so  rapidly  in  the 
state  and  national  service  that  it  may  be  best  at  this  point,  before  we 
discuss  his  monumental  work,  to  review  for  a  moment  his  natural 
capacities  and  the  use  of  his  opportunities. 


34  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OP 

We  must  not  minimize  his  native  common  sense,  nor  even  his  theo- 
logical study  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Smalley,  where  he  learned  that  God 
made  man  in  His  own  image  but  that  the  likeness  is  a  pretty  faint  and 
varying  resemblance;  nor  the  conviction  that  things  cannot  be  made  to 
work  of  themselves  which  became  knotted  into  his  being  as  his  shoul- 
ders swung  the  axe  on  our  river  bank  and  as  his  arms  lifted  the  plough 
to  escape  the  stones  of  his  rugged  plains  farm. 

But  he  lived  in  exciting  times.  In  congress  he  met  the  ablest  men 
of  the  colonies,  conversed,  studied  and  debated  with  them.  Was  it 
nothing  to  have  known  John  and  Samuel  Adams,  Edmund  Randolph, 
John  Rutledge  and  James  Wilson,  Patrick  Henry  and  James  Madison, 
Gouverneur  Morris  and  Alexander  Hamilton,  to  say  nothing  of  Roger 
Sherman,  Jonathan  Trumbull  and  the  two  Wolcotts?  The  most 
momentous  problems  of  government  were  continuously  before  them. 
The  exigencies  of  the  war  were  calling  not  only  for  theoretical  but 
practical  dealings  with  men  individually  and  in  organization.  The 
defects  in  the  articles  of  confederation  were  daily  proving  themselves. 
Foreign  complications  were  threatening  the  life  of  the  infant  state. 
French  influence,  inspiring  in  part,  but  with  miasmic  elements,  was 
permeating  our  statesmen's  conceptions  of  government.  Problems  of 
credit,  military  policy  and  foreign  relations  met  the  Congress  at  every 
hand.  The  members  came  from  essentially  different  environments, 
south,  north,  rich,  poor,  religionists  of  various  sects,  and  men  of  no 
religion.  That  was  Ellsworth's  school.  Out  of  it  came  the  Federal 
Constitution.  Gladstone  has  called  it  the  greatest  work  ever  struck  off 
at  a  given  time  by  the  brain  and  purpose  of  man.  But  it  was  not 
struck  off.  It  was  forged  in  the  furnace  of  war,  and  tempered  in  unquiet 
waters  of  peace.  It  was  not  born,  all  armed,  as  Minerva,  from  the 
head  of  Jove.  It  was  written  slowly,  line  upon  line,  precept  upon 
precept,  out  of  the  experience  of  thirteen  years  of  national  experiment. 

Again,  apart  from  life  in  the  Congress,  Ellsworth's  lessons  as  a  trial 
lawyer  taught  him  the  elementary  principles  on  which  his  great  work 
was  constructed.  When  he  was  not  engaged  in  Philadelphia  he  was 
trying  as  a  lawyer  before,  or  as  a  judge  behind,  the  bench,  litigated 
causes.  He  became  profoundly  convinced  of  one  thing — that  nothing 
could  so  unite  a  people  into  a  single  nation  as  a  uniform  and  ever-pres- 
ent judiciary,  armed  with  the  powers,  appalling  when  one  looks  at 
them,  a  priori,  of  courts  of  common  law  and  equity. 

With  these  teachings  he  went  into  the  Senate.  Now  having  helped 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  new  government,  he  was  to  aid  in  building 
its  superstructure.  He  was  a  masterful  man — slow,  perhaps — he  had 
not  the  lightning  glance  of  Hamilton — but  when  he  planted  himself  on 
an  opinion  and  grasped  the  bludgeon  of  his  powers  of  statement  ready 
for  use,  the  Senate  belonged  to  him. 

Adams  called  him  the  strongest  pillar  of  Washington's  whole  adminis- 
tration. He  is  said  to  have  been  Washington's  own  choice  as  his  suc- 
cessor. Burr,  who  was  the  cleverest  man  of  them  all,  says  that  if  a 
resolution  introduced  by  Ellsworth  spelt  the  name  of  the  Deity  with 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  35 

two  "d's",  it  would  take  the  Senate  three  weeks  at  least  to  expunge  the 
superfluous  letter.  We  must  not  forget  that  he  received  eleven  votes 
as  candidate  for  president,  and  his  glance  was  said  to  have  passed  com- 
pletely through  the  foreheads  of  most  men. 

To  return,  however,  to  the  judicial  act.  We  have  seen  how  feeble 
was  the  federal  government,  in  not  only  its  lawmaking  powers,  but  its 
ability  to  enforce  the  acts  which  it  could  pass.  We  perhaps  forget  the 
strength  of  the  law's  instruments  to-day.  We  realize  it  when  a  strike 
ties  up  every  railroad  running  from  Chicago.  A  United  States  judge 
signs  a  paper  and  a  battalion  of  regulars  is  dispatched  by  the  president 
to  enforce  the  order. 

The  judicial  power  of  the  United  States  by  the  constitution  was  vested 
in  one  supreme  court  and  such  other  inferior  courts  as  the  Congress 
might  from  time  to  time  ordain  and  establish.  We  know  that  the 
supreme  court  upheld  its  trust.  Now  let  us  look  at  Ellsworth's  act, 
the  establishment  of  the  inferior  courts  and  their  jurisdiction. 

In  the  first  place,  he  abrogated  state  lines,  but  preserved  state  pro- 
cedure, in  common  law  lines. 

Second,  he  provided  for  a  common  equity  procedure. 

In  the  third  place,  he  made  it  possible  for  every  non-resident  citizen 
in  substantial  matters  to  go  into  the  federal  court  when  sued  by,  or 
suing  a  resident. 

Fourth,  he  made  the  judges  appointees  of  the  executive,  to  be  confirmed 
by  the  Senate. 

That,  in  small  compass,  comprises  all  his  novel  portions  of  the 
statute.  The  rest  was  the  invention  of  machinery  to  enable  Article 
III.  of  the  constitution  to  operate.  The  cleverest  device  of  Ellsworth's 
was  the  method  by  which  matters  involving  constitutional  questions 
are  taken  from  state  tribunals  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 
The  writ  of  error  under  Ellsworth's  scheme  goes  from  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States  to  that  of  a  state  only  when  the  state  is 
in  favor  of  the  constitutionality  of  the  law  or  ordinance. 

A  less  astute  draughtsman  would  have  surely  drawn  the  provision  so 
that  the  supreme  court  should  review  decisions  of  the  state  courts  adverse 
to  constitutionality. 

To  be  sure,  the  work  of  a  draughtsman  is  not  comparable  with  that 
of  a  statesman;  but  oftener  it  takes  more  brains  to  show  how  things 
can  be  done  than  to  see  that  they  must  be  done.  But  while  Ellsworth  did 
actually  write  the  judiciary  act,  it  is  said,  in  two  weeks,  he  was  at  work 
on  it  long  before.  We  know  that  he  was  in  correspondence  with  Oliver 
Wolcott  on  the  subject  as  early  as  June,  1789. 

What  Washington's  administration  was  attempting  was  the  unification 
of  the  United  States.  Can  one  imagine  a  better  method  than  throwing 
a  shuttle  carrying  the  woof  of  federal  law  and  jurisdiction  of  federal 
courts  through  the  warp  of  state  life  so  that  no  man  could  divide  the 
fabric?  When  all  other  efforts  failed,  the  knife  was  tried.  It  tore, 
but  did  not  part,  in  the  Civil  War.  I  have  used  the  word  "federal." 
Ellsworth  objected  to  its  use.  "This  is  an  Union,  the  United  States," 


36  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

he  would  have  said.  In  a  speech  in  the  Connecticut  Convention,  he  said : 
"We  see  how  necessary  for  the  union  is  the  coercive  principle.  The 
only  question  is,  Shall  it  be  a  coercion  of  law,  or  a  coercion  of  arms? 
There  is  no  possible  alternative.  ...  I  am  for  coercion  by  law,  that 
coercion  which  acts  only  on  delinquent  individuals." 

One  of  the  provisions  of  the  judiciary  act,  now  long  obsolete,  was 
that  in  each  district  there  should  be  held  yearly  two  sessions  of  the 
circuit  court,  consisting  of  any  two  justices  of  the  supreme  court  and 
the  district  judge,  any  two  of  whom  should  constitute  a  quorum.  Now 
no  supreme  court  justice  especially  enjoyed  going  on  circuit.  It  was 
a  fearsome  job,  but  Ellsworth  knew  that  what  was  needed  was  not  talk 
about  the  federal  government,  to  make  the  people  believe  that  there 
was  such  a  government  in  existence,  but  that  seeing  was  believing.  The 
charges  of  those  justices  to  the  grand  juries  were  sometimes  an  hour 
and  a  half  in  length,  and  when  people  flocked  to  see  and  hear  a  famous 
judge,  they  saw  and  heard  not  only  the  man  but  the  presence  and 
voice  of  the  new  government,  which,  but  for  his  presence  and  that 
of  the  clerk,  marshal  and  jury,  would  have  been  as  far  away  as  the 
parliament  of  the  mother  country. 

But  apart  from  the  judiciary  act,  we  get  a  few  sidelights  on  his 
services  to  the  administration.  Indeed,  he  was  somewhat  humorous  in 
his  account  of  how  he  managed  the  New  England  end  of  the  party. 

When  Jay's  treaty  was  pending  for  acceptance,  he  wrote  Wolcott, 
who  was  secretary  of  the  treasury,  that  the  Federalists  in  New  England 
"thought  it  best  only  to  stand  prepared  for  defense  if  an  attack  should 
(here)  be  made,  which  has  not  yet  been  the  case,  and  in  the  meantime 
to  scrap  and  squib  a  little  just  to  keep  the  humor  the  right  way."  Who 
can  say  now  that  the  word  "scrap"  is  modern  slang? 

He  watched  the  intrigues  of  Jefferson  in  Washington's  cabinet,  but 
his  strong  Anglo-Saxon  sense  was  always  to  be  depended  upon,  to  over- 
come by  words  and  influence  the  Jacobinism  of  the  more  ardent  repub- 
licans, whose  leader  was  Jefferson,  even  in  the  midst  of  Washington's 
council.  He  was  a  tower,  as  I  have  said,  in  Washington's  administra- 
tion, and  yet  he  was  not  blinded  to  the  frailty  which  Washington  pos- 
sessed with  the  rest  of  mankind.  He  impatiently  wrote  to  Wolcott 
when  Jay's  treaty  lay  before  Washington :  "If  the  President  decides 
wrong,  or  does  not  decide  soon,  his  good  fortune  will  forsake  him." 
Annoyed  by  the  lack  of  harmony  among  the  Massachusetts  Federalists, 
he  writes :  "New  England  is  tolerably  quiet  and  will  be  more  so  as 
the  subject  becomes  more  understood.  But  I  am  responsible  only  for 
Connecticut."  Ellsworth  was  too  much  of  a  New  England  man  to 
really  like  a  southerner,  whether  he  sat  in  Washington's  cabinet  or  was 
his  old  associate  in  the  Constitutional  Convention,  and  then  the  Presi- 
dent's nominee  for  chief  justice.  He  writes  in  the  same  letter:  "That 
E.  R.  (Edmund  Randolph)  should  not  act  at  all  is  less  surprising  than 
that  J.  R.  (John  Rutledge)  should  act  like  the  devil." 

Ellsworth  fought  the  confirmation  of  the  latter  in  the  Senate  with 
all  his  strength  and  was  himself  appointed  to  the  same  office  when  Rut- 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  37 

ledge's  name  was  withdrawn,  but  the  two  things  had  no  connection, 
and  what  is  perhaps  less  important  but  seems  more  so,  no  one  thought 
for  a  moment  that  the  connection  existed. 

When  the  commission  of  which  Marshall  was  a  member  had  failed  to 
negotiate  a  treaty  for  France,  and  Marshall  had  told  the  story  of  Talley- 
rand's attempting  to  extort  a  bribe  from  them,  which  resulted  in  Pinck- 
ney's  celebrated  phrase,  "Millions  for  defense,  but  not  one  cent  for 
tribute,"  suddenly  the  scales  of  blindness  toward  French  character 
dropped  from  American  eyes.  Ellsworth  was  nominated  with  two 
others  by  Adams  to  try  again,  and  they  found  a  different  man  at  the 
head  of  affairs  than  the  leaders  of  the  French  Revolution,  in  Napoleon 
Bonaparte.  When  Napoleon  first  saw  his  dignified  face  and  majestic 
form  in  the  crowd  of  envoys  and  representatives  of  foreign  govern- 
ments, he  said  to  a  companion,  "we  shall  have  to  make  a  treaty  with 
that  man,"  and  although  his  convention  was  not  entirely  satisfactory 
to  the  people  at  home,  it  was  soon  accepted  as  the  best  which  could  have 
been  made  under  the  circumstances  and  paved  the  way  for  Jeffer- 
son's magnificent  coup  d'etat,  the  Louisiana  purchase.  But  the  foreign 
mission  was  too  much  for  Ellsworth's  health.  His  sufferings  on  the 
ocean  voyage  were  frightful.  He  struggled  through  this  mission  a  sick 
man.  He  tried  to  get  some  benefit  from  the  English  climate,  but  came 
home  broken  in  health  to  take  up  his  work  again  as  a  judge,  this  time 
as  a  state  judge;  but  soon  to  die  at  Windsor.  When  he  was  in  Eng- 
land, he  was  the  object  of  much  curiosity  as  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States.  The  English  had  expected  to  see  in  an  American  a 
man  of  sharp  features,  high  cheek  bones  and  Indian  aspect.  Instead, 
they  saw  a  gentleman  who  was  dressed  as  one  of  themselves;  thinking 
that  he  was  an  exception,  one  of  the  English  judges  inquired  what 
was  the  rule  as  to  descent  through  the  half-blood,  referring,  of  course, 
to  the  status  of  offspring  of  marriage  between  white  and  red. 

Ellsworth  had  little  imagination,  but  strong  sense.  He  was  an  invet- 
erate worker  and  so  intent  on  what  he  had  in  mind  that  he  would 
spend  the  time  between  Windsor  and  Hartford  on  his  way  to  court 
talking  over  to  himself  points  in  his  causes,  no  matter  who  was  his 
companion.  Often,  sitting  in  his  parlor,  he  did  not  notice  the  coming 
of  a  guest  and  did  not  know  the  guest  was  there  until  he  arose  to 
leave.  His  snuff  was  deposited  in  little  piles  about  his  chair.  He  was 
so  fond  of  it  that  he  thought  at  one  time  he  must  give  up  the  tobacco 
habit,  and,  therefore,  conscientiously  left  his  snuffbox  in  the  attic  so 
that  he  was  compelled  to  go  to  the  top  of  the  house  when  he  felt  the 
craving. 

He  was  a  simple  man.  He  went  to  Suffield  many  times,  and  the  land- 
lady was  somewhat  awed  at  first  by  having  so  distinguished  an  individ- 
ual under  her  roof,  but  when  she  found  out  that  his  needs  at  the  table 
were  bread  and  milk  she  was  reassured.  He  knew  much  about  ordin- 
ary things.  In  the  south  one  day  at  circuit,  the  stage  coach  broke  down. 
Ellsworth  was  a  Yankee  and  knew  how  to  repair  it.  A  bystander 
inquired,  "Who  is  that  gentleman  who  understands  everything  and  is 


38  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

eloquent  about  a  coach  wheel?"  "The  Chief  Justice  of  the  United 
States,"  was  the  reply. 

Some  one  said  that  if  the  beauty  of  the  moon  at  night  was  praised, 
Ellsworth  would  immediately  set  about  devising  a  patent  lamp,  and  it 
would  be  a  very  superior  article,  too. 

He  had  an  imperious  disposition.  One  of  his  colleagues  in  the 
Constitutional  Convention  wrote  to  a  correspondent  at  the  close  of  the 
day  that  Ellsworth  had  lost  his  temper,  as  always.  That  was  not  true. 
Ellsworth  rarely  lost  his  temper,  but  he  so  firmly  believed  that  the 
view  which  he  decided  after  much  thought  was  right,  that  he  fairly 
clubbed  his  arguments  home  to  his  hearers.  It  is  said  that  while 
William  Johnson,  who  was  his  usual  opponent  at  the  Hartford  bar, 
talked  to  a  jury  he  charmed  them,  but  when  Ellsworth  began  to  speak 
they  sat  up  and  opened  their  eyes.  But  he  was  not  without  graces  of 
social  life,  and  one  only  has  to  read  his  letters  to  see  how  cleverly  he 
could  turn  a  sentence  and  how  loyally  he  could  support  a  friend.  From 
Havre,  when  on  a  French  mission,  he  wrote  to  Wolcott  as  follows,  and 
I  ask  you  whether  or  not,  even  if  these  words  show  a  strong  self-con- 
fidence, they  do  not  show  that  he  was  a  man  as  strongly  to  be  trusted? 

"You  certainly  did  right  not  to  resign,  and  you  must  not  think  of 
resigning,  let  what  changes  may  take  place,  at  least,  until  I  see  you. 
Though  our  country  pays  badly,  it  is  the  only  one  in  the  world  worth 
working  for.  The  happiness  which  it  enjoys  and  which  it  may  increase 
is  so  much  superior  to  what  the  nations  of  Europe  do  or  ever  can 
enjoy,  that  no  one  who  is  able  to  preserve  and  increase  that  happiness 
ought  to  quit  her  service  while  he  can  remain  in  it  with  bread  and 
honor;  of  the  first,  a  little  suffices  you,  and  of  the  last  it  is  not  in  the 
power  of  caprice  or  malevolence  to  deprive  you.  They  cannot  do 
without  you  and  dare  not  put  you  out.  Remember,  my  dear  friend, 
my  charge,  keep  on  till  I  see  you." 

After  hearing  the  foregoing,  one  cannot  think  the  following  words  of 
the  first  President  Dwight  too  eulogistic: 

"In  every  assembly,  public  or  private,  in  which  he  appeared  after 
he  had  fairly  entered  public  life,  there  was  probably  no  man,  when 
Washington  was  not  present,  who  would  be  more  readily  acknowledged 
to  hold  the  first  character." 

But  it  must  not  be  thought  that  he  was  without  human  characteristics. 
To  be  sure,  it  is  well  attested  to  be  a  fact  that  when  the  coach  set  him 
down  before  his  home  in  Windsor,  after  his  long  absence  abroad  in 
the  French  mission,  unseeing,  apparently,  he  walked  to  his  front  gate 
and  bent  his  head  on  folded  arms  thereon,  in  thanks  to  God  for  a  safe 
return,  and  then  turned  and  kissed  his  wife  and  children.  That  may 
well  be,  for  he  was  a  man  of  profound  piety.  But  it  does  not  seem 
the  act  of  a  man  who  wrote  to  his  twin  boys  from  Paris  (these  were 
the  same  boys  whom  Washington  took  on  his  knees  and  to  whom  he 
taught  the  "Darby  Ram"  while  dinner  was  waiting)  as  follows : 

"Daddy  is  a  great  way  off,  but  he  thinks  about  his  little  boys  every 
day;  and  he  hopes  that  they  are  very  good  boys  and  learn  their  books 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  39 

well,  and  say  their  prayers  every  night,  and  then  God  will  love  them 
as  much  as  daddy  does.  There  are  a  great  many  fine  things  here  and 
a  great  many  strange  things.  Oliver  writes  them  down  and  he  will 
have  enough  to  tell  the  boys  twenty  nights.  The  robbers  came  round 
the  house  where  daddy  lives  the  other  night  and  the  gardener  shot  off 
his  double-barreled  gun  and  killed  two  of  them;  and  daddy  believes 
if  the  robbers  come  into  his  room  they  will  get  killed,  for  he  keeps 
a  gun  and  two  pistols  charged  all  the  time  and  when  he  comes  home 
he  intends  to  give  his  gun  to  Martin  and  his  pistols  to  Billy  and  Harry. 
This  letter  is  from  our  daddy." 

He  breaks  out  into  verse  inspired  by  the  memory  of  the  twins,  headed 
"A  letter  from  our  daddy." 

"The  men  in  France  are  lazy  creatures, 

And  work  the  womeu  and  great  dogs ; 
The  ladies  are  enormous  eaters, 
And  like  the  best  toadstools  and  frogs. 

The  little  boys  are  pretty  spry, 

And  bow  when  daddy's  paid  them, 
But  don't  think  they'll  ever  die, 

Nor  can  they  tell  who  made  them. 

But  daddy's  boys  are  not  such  fools, 

And  are  not  learned  so  bad, 
For  they  have  mamma  and  good  schools, 

And   that  makes   daddy  glad. 

Daddy  won't  forget  them  pistols." 

It  does  not  seem  as  if  the  twins  would  have  thought  him  a  very 
fearsome  Puritan  or  awe-inspiring  parent.  Tradition  says  the  pistols 
had  no  locks,  but  I  don't  believe  it.  He  was  too  much  of  a  Yankee. 

Even  in  Connecticut,  I  venture  to  state  we  know  more  about  Roger 
Sherman,  Oliver  Wolcott  or  Jonathan  Trumbull  than  Ellsworth.  He 
has  no  monument  or  tablet  in  the  state  capitol.  In  the  obituary  notices 
of  the  press  at  the  time  of  his  death,  there  does  not  seem  to  be  much 
personal  sorrow  expressed.  To  be  sure,  people  didn't  say  in  print  and 
in  praise  what  they  really  thought  about  others  in  those  days  even  after 
they  had  gone.  "He  was  a  great  man,  indeed,  Connecticut's  first 
citizen !"  "He  had  conferred  great  honor  upon  the  state,"  etc.  But 
except  his  wife  and  Oliver  Wolcott,  I  imagine  no  one  really  knew 
him.  We  can  grow  warm  in  admiration  for  Hamilton  with  all  his  weak- 
nesses. We  somehow  feel  that  we  should  have  been  fascinated  by 
Aaron  Burr.  We  should  like  to  have  listened  to  Randolph's  biting 
sarcasm.  John  Adams  would  have  seemed  somewhat  peppery,  but 
we  should  have  understood  him.  Franklin, — don't  you  love  to  think  of 
him  standing  in  his  spotted  velvet  suit  before  the  bar  of  the  Commons 
and  listening  with  an  unmoved  face  to  the  invective  hurled  against  him? 


40  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

We  have  all  seen  Timothy  Pickering,  especially  in  New  England,  but 
Ellsworth,  we  shouldn't  have  been  drawn  to,  do  you  think?  He  had  no 
gift  of  eloquence.  He  started  handicapped  in  the  race  of  life.  He 
had  our  gnarled  hickory  nutshell  of  New  England  reserve.  He  talked 
to  convince.  He  never  let  himself  go  for  the  nervous  joy  of  it.  If 
men  hated  him,  as  undoubtedly  was  the  case  with  Jefferson,  Pickering 
and  Burr,  in  some  way  they  could  not  outflank  him.  He  was  one  of 
our  unremembered  heroes.  Not  that  he  worked  for  work's  sake.  For 
he  worked  at  the  worth  while.  He  had  a  conception  of  what  the 
United  States  should  be,  but  he  could  not  use  the  word  "Empire"  like 
Marshall,  but  to  make  law,  enforce  law, — through  law,  train  the  people 
to  see  the  nation  and  its  law  as  he  saw  it,  although  perhaps  he  could 
not  express  his  thought, — such  was  the  duty  that  pressed  itself  home 
on  Ellsworth's  conscience. 

What  is  it  that  in  this  New  England  climate  of  ours  holds  us  to 
the  serious,  practical  side  of  life?  The  hatred  of  waste,  the  love  of 
order,  the  supremacy  of  law.  It  is  not  the  weather.  Our  skies  in  May 
and  September  ought  to  call  for  every  impulse  of  our  human  nature 
to  express  itself.  It  is  not  the  gray  days  of  November  and  December, 
for  they  are  followed  by  the  dazzling  glory  of  a  January  sun  on  a  snow 
field.  Far  back  it  must  lie  in  the  peculiarity  of  the  particular  "id"  which 
in  some  way  conquered  the  other  embryonic  "ids"  in  our  English  fore- 
fathers, and  which  for  want  of  a  better  name  we  call  "Puritanism." 

But  that  particular  "id"  as  typified  in  Ellsworth  met  Washington's 
need.  Good  but  shrewd  sense  commanded  a  large  premium  in  the 
mind  of  our  first  chief  magistrate,  particularly  in  the  trying  times  of 
his  first  magistracy.  Ellsworth  not  only  had  the  sense ;  he  had  the  power 
to  execute,  as  well.  Is  it  any  wonder  then  that  Washington  wrote  to 
Ellsworth  just  as  he  was  retiring  to  Mount  Vernon  as  follows,  and  a 
person  now  present,*  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  recipient,  has  the  original 
letter. 

Philadelphia,  8th  Mar.,  1797. 

Dear  Sir:  Before  I  leave  this  City,  which  will  be  within  less  than 
twenty-four  hours ;  permit  me,  in  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  your  kind 
and  affectionate  note  of  the  6th,  to  offer  you  the  thanks  of  a  grateful 
heart  for  the  sentiments  you  have  expressed  in  my  favour,  and  for  those 
attentions  with  which  you  have  always  honoured  me. — In  return,  I  pray 
you  to  accept  all  my  good  wishes  for  the  perfect  restoration  of  your 
health,  and  for  all  the  happiness  this  life  can  afford. — As  your  official 
duty  will  necessarily  call  you  to  the  Southward,  I  will  take  the  liberty 
of  adding,  that  it  will  always  give  me  pleasure  to  see  you  at  Mt.  Vernon 
as  you  pass  &  repass. — With  unfeigned  esteem  &  regard,  in  wch  Mrs. 
Washington  joins  me, 

I  am  always — &  affectionately  Yours, 

GO.  WASHINGTON. 

Oliv'r  Ellsworth,  Esq.,  Chief  Justice. 

*  Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin  Porter. 


LETTER    FROM     WASHINGTON     TO    ELLSWORTH. 


•  *'  *  I  I  I 
*  i  I  f  f 
'  *  t  *  t  t  I 
.*»***• 
-'  t  t  I  I  t 
I  I  I  I  I  I 

f   •   t    * 


BED   IN    WHICH    OLIVER   ELLSWORTH    DIED     AND      WALL-PAPER 
BROUGHT    BY     HIM     FROM     ABROAD. 


SPINNING  ROOM. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  41 

Could  any  man  in  1797  want  anything  more  in  this  life  than  that 
particular  letter? 

It  was  but  a  few  years  later  that  Ellsworth  followed  his  friend's 
example  and  retired  to  his  Mount  Vernon.  Thousands  who  turn  their 
steps  to  the  southern  home  are  but  scores  when  they  journey  hither- 
ward.  They  are  seeking  however,  and  will  continue  to  seek,  the  perma- 
nent memorials,  here  preserved,  of  a  Connecticut  lawyer,  but  in  the 
welding  of  a  national  union  through  constitution  and  statute,  the  most 
potent  American. 

The  singing  of  the  "Darby  Ram"  by  the  United  Chapter  Glee 
Clubs  followed  Mr.  Shipman's  address.  In  introducing  the  Glee 
Clubs,  Mrs.  Kinney  said: — 

Family  traditions  sometimes  develop  a  curious  tendency  to  twist 
themselves  away  from  the  simple  line  of  rectitude  to  which  they  are 
supposed  to  strictly  adhere.  As  an  example  I  refer  you  to  the  visit 
of  General  Washington  to  this  house.  It  is  said  that  on  that  occasion 
he  was  discovered  in  an  upper  chamber,  the  Ellsworth  twin  boys,  Wil- 
liam and  Henry,  on  either  knee,  and  singing  to  them  the  blood-curdling 
ditty  called  "The  Darby  Ram."  Another  president  of  the  United 
States,  John  Adams,  was  also — though  on  a  different  occasion, — a 
guest  in  this  house;  and  he,  too,  is  credited  with  singing  the  same 
popular  melody  to  two  small  Ellsworth  children,  apparently  not  the 
same  children,  but  two  little  girls,  Delia  and  Frances,  instead  of  two 
little  boys,  William  and  Henry.  Some  of  the  facts  in  the  case  are  more 
or  less  illusive,  but  I  believe  no  one  disputes  the  fact  that  both  Washing- 
ton and  Adams  visited  the  Ellsworths  in  this  homestead,  nor  does 
anyone,  much  less  their  descendants  who  are  present  to-day,  deny  the 
existence  of  William  and  Henry,  or  Delia  and  Frances.  But,  which  of 
these  presidents  of  the  United  States  sang  "The  Darby  Ram"  to  the 
children,  and  which  two  children  listened  to  the  singing?  I  have 
tried  faithfully  to  solve  the  mystery,  but  it's  a  clear  case  of  "The  Lady 
and  the  Tiger,"  or  rather  of  four  little  children  and  two  great  lions 
who  seem  to  be  very  much  mixed  up  in  their  on-goings. 

I  have  reached  the  point  where  it  seems  best  to  ask  the  audience  to 
settle  for  themselves  the  question  of  which  was  which.  Such  help  as  we 
can  give  is  freely  granted  and  it  consists  in  asking  you  to  interview  the 
two  children,  either  William  and  Henry  or  Delia  and  Frances,  who  may 
be  found  at  the  close  of  these  exercises  in  the  upper  chamber  to  which 
I  have  referred.  In  addition  to  this  testimony,  which  should  be  con- 
vincing as  far  as  the  children  are  concerned,  our  Glee  Club  will  sing 
for  you  "The  Darby  Ram."  Those  who  have  the  ear  of  faith  and 
can  hark  back  into  the  centuries,  will  doubtless  detect  a  ghostly  accom- 
paniment, and  if  so  they  will  at  once  know  whether  it  is  the  century  old 
voice  of  George  Washington  or  John  Adams. 


42  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

THE  DARBY  RAM. 

As  I  was  going  to  Darby 

Upon   a   market   day, 
I  spied  the  biggest  ram,  sir, 

That  ever  fed  on  hay. 

Chorus : 

Oh,  ho-key,  don-key  Darby  Ram; 

Oh,  ho-key,  din-key  da; 
Oh,    ho-key,    din-key    Darby    Ram; 
Oh,  ho-key,  din-key  da. 

He  had  four  feet  to  walk,  sir, 

He  had  four  feet  to  stand, 
And  every  foot  he  had,  sir, 
Covered  an  acre  of  land. 
Chorus : 

With  wool  upon  his  back,  sir, 

It  reaches  to  the  sky, 
And  eagles  built  their  nests  there — 

I  heard  the  young  ones  cry. 
Chorus : 

The  wool  upon  his  back,  sir, 

I  heard  the  weaver  say, 
Made  three  thousand  yards  of  cloth, 

For  he  wove  it  in  a  day. 
Chorus : 

The  butcher  that  cut  his  throat,  sir, 

Was  drowned  in  the  blood, 
And  the  little  boy  who  held  the  bowl 

Was  carried  away  in  the  flood. 
Chorus : 

In  introducing  Judge  Taintor  Mrs.  Kinney  said: — 

Some  very  interesting  letters  bearing  upon  to-day's  celebration  have 
been  received,  and  I  wish  to  share  their  contents  with  you.  Judge 
Taintor  of  Hartford  has  kindly  consented  to  read  the  more  important 
ones,  and  I  take  great  pleasure  in  presenting  to  you  the  Hon.  Henry 
Ellsworth  Taintor,  a  great-grandson  of  Oliver  Ellsworth,  Chief  Jus- 
tice of  the  United  States. 

LETTERS  OF  REGRET. 

Judge  Henry  E.  Taintor  of  this  city  then  read  the  following 
letters  of  regret: — 


THE  ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD  43 

FROM  THE  PRESIDENT. 

OYSTER  BAY,  N.  Y.,  August  31,  1903. 

My  Dear  Madam : — The  President  has  received  your  letter  of  the 
29th  instant  and  requests  me  to  express  his  great  regret  that  he  is 
unable  to  accept  your  very  kind  invitation  to  attend  the  dedication  of 
the  Oliver  Ellsworth  homestead  by  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution. 

Very  truly  yours, 

WM.  J.  LOEB,  JR.,  Secretary  to  the  President. 

To  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney,  Connecticut  State  Regent,  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

FROM  THE  CHIEF  JUSTICE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

LONDON,  ENGLAND,  September  7,  1903. 
Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 

Dear  Madam : — I  deeply  regret  my  inability  to  attend  the  dedication 
of  the  homestead  of  Oliver  Ellsworth  in  commemoration  of  that  emi- 
nent statesman  and  patriot,  the  third  chief  justice  of  the  United  States 
and  author  of  the  Judiciary  Act  of  1789.  His  valuable  services  to  this 
country  should  ever  be  held  in  remembrance,  and  it  would  have  given 
me  sincere  satisfaction,  if  circumstances  had  permitted,  to  pay  tribute, 
by  my  presence,  to  the  memory  of  this  great  man. 

Very  truly  yours, 

MELVILLE  W.  FULLER. 

FROM  THE  CHIEF  JUSTICE  OF  CONNECTICUT. 

DERBY,  CONN.,  September  19,  1903. 
Mrs.  S.  T.  Kinney,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Dear  Madam : — Your  cordial  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  dedica- 
tion of  the  Ellsworth  homestead  has  just  come  to  hand.  Unfortunately 
for  myself,  as  the  supreme  court  will  be  in  session  on  the  day  set  for 
the  dedication  ceremonies,  I  shall  be  unable  to  be  present.  That  being 
the  case,  permit  me  to  say  that  among  the  many  good  things  brought 
about  by  your  society  this  preservation  of  the  old  historic  homestead  of 
the  third  chief  justice  of  the  United  States  is  by  no  means  the  least. 
Your  work  will  serve  to  keep  alive  the  memory  and  influence  of  a 
good  man,  one  of  Connecticut's  great  men,  whose  work  was  of  inestim- 
able value  to  his  state  and  to  the  nation  and  whose  memory  and  char- 
acter we  cannot  afford  to  forget. 

Thanking  you  for  your  cordial  invitation,  I  remain, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

DAVID  TORRANCE. 


44  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

SENATOR  HOAR. 

WORCESTER,  MASS.,  September  18,  1903. 

My  Dear  Madam: — I  should  like  very  much  to  attend  the  dedication 
of  the  Oliver  Ellsworth  homestead  in  Windsor,  to  which  you  kindly 
invite  me.  In  addition  to  the  reason  which  every  patriotic  American 
has  to  honor  aind  reverence  the  memory  of  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth,  I 
have  some  strong  personal  reasons.  But  there  is  to  be  a  meeting  of  the 
Peabody  trustees  in  New  York  on  the  8th  of  October  and  I  am  a  mem- 
ber of  a  committee  charged  with  some  important  matters.  So  I  cannot 
well  absent  myself  from  that.  I  am  with  high  regard,  faithfully  yours, 

GEORGE  F.  HOAR. 
Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney,  No.  46  Park  Street,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Extract  from  a  letter  written  by  Senator  Hoar  to  Mrs.  Frank  C. 
Porter  :— 

WORCESTER,  MASS.,  September  29,  1903. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Porter : — I  do  not  think  that  you  can  be  as  much  dis- 
appointed as  I  am  that  I  cannot  attend  the  Ellsworth  celebration.  I 
have  long  had  the  profoundest  reverence  for  his  character,  and  regret 
that  the  story  of  his  illustrious  life  has  not  been  adequately  told.  I  have 
taken  great  pleasure  in  the  prospect  that  that  will  now  be  done. 

PRESIDENT  HADLEY. 

YALE  UNIVERSITY,  NEW  HAVEN,  CONN., 

October  5,  1903. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Kinney: — It  is  a  matter  of  great  regret  to  me  that  I 
am  unable  to  be  present  at  the  opening  of  the  Ellsworth  homestead.  It 
is  in  no  wise  necessary  for  me  to  say  any  words  concerning  the  life 
and  work  of  Oliver  Ellsworth.  Every  student  of  American  constitu- 
tional history  knows  how  great  and  distinctive  were  his  services.  In 
addition  to  his  public  reputation,  his  private  character  was  so  picturesque 
and  interesting  that  it  adds  a  very  distinctive  charm  to  his  life. 

Faithfully  yours, 

ARTHUR  T.  HADLEY. 

FROM  JUDGE  SIMEON  E.  BALDWIN. 

NEW  HAVEN,  September  27,  1903. 

Dear  Mrs.  Kinney: — I  shall  probably  be  holding  court  on  October  8. 
Should  this  not  be  the  case,  I  shall  hope  to  be  present  at  the  Ellsworth 
celebration.  It  is  gratifying  to  all  believers  in  the  power  of  historical 
traditions  in  keeping  a  people  pure  and  patriotic,  to  note  occasions 
like  this,  that  bind  the  present  to  the  past.  Should  I  be  present,  I  should 
be  happy  to  say  a  word  or  two,  as  you  request. 

Yours  sincerely, 

SIMEON  E.  BALDWIN. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  45 

Mrs.  Kinney  then  introduced  Mrs.  John  M.  Holcombe  of 
Hartford,  chairman  of  the  general  committee,  in  the  following 
words : — 

Whenever  I  am  called  upon  to  introduce  the  Regent  of  the  Ruth 
Wyllys  Chapter,  I  invariably  find  myself  quoting  the  suggestive  line, 
"Good  wine  needs  no  bush."  The  Regent  is  too  well  known  to  us  all  to 
require  any  formal  presentation  to  an  audience  of  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution  and  their  friends.  But  now — as  always — I  am 
happy  to  ask  Mrs.  Holcombe  to  take  part  in  our  ceremonies,  and  now — 
as  always — she  has  something  interesting  to  say. 

MRS.  HOLCOMBE'S  REMARKS. 

Madame  State  Regent,  Your  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Connecticut, 
Ellsworth  Descendants,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  and 
Gentlemen  and  Ladies : — It  is  my  privilege  to-day  to  speak  for  the  Con- 
necticut Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  and  express  our  appre- 
ciation of  the  many  kindnesses  extended  us,  and  to  make  our  bow  of 
acknowledgment  to  a  world  which,  by  a  sympathy  both  spontaneous  and 
generous,  has  helped  to  bring  our  labors  to  such  completion  as  you  see 
here  on  this  occasion. 

Rarely  does  it  fall  to  the  lot  of  any  house  to  enjoy  such  a  felicitous 
history  as  this  Ellsworth  homestead.  Standing  amidst  the  broad  acres 
purchased  in  1665  by  Josias  Ellsworth,  it  became,  a  century  later,  the 
abode  of  a  good  and  great  man,  Oliver  Ellsworth,  and  Abigail  Wolcott, 
his  wife,  and  their  domestic  life  forms  an  example  we  well  may  con- 
template with  admiration  and  approval  to-day.  No  type  of  woman  will 
ever  be  found  better  than  she  of  whom  I  read  in  a  trusty  chronicle, 
"She  exercised  such  concern  and  thoughtfulness  for  her  husband's  needs, 
that  no  anxiety  regarding  household  cares  ever  disturbed  his  public 
life;"  and  in  return  can  any  tribute  of  a  husband's  contentment  in  his 
home  be  stronger  than  Oliver  Ellsworth's  own  avowal :  "I  have  visited 
several  countries  and  I  like  my  own  the  best.  I  have  been  in  all  the 
states  in  the  Union,  and  Connecticut  is  the  best  state;  Windsor  is  the 
pleasantest  town  in  the  state  of  Connecticut,  and  I  have  the  pleasantest 
place  in  Windsor.  I  am  content,  perfectly  content,  to  die  on  the  banks 
of  the  Connecticut." 

In  this  ideal  home  dwelt  gentleness  and  peace,  and  the  blood  of  the 
Ellsworths  flowed  on  through  an  unbroken  line  of  descendants  until, 
since  the  death  of  the  last  owner,  it  has  been  deeded,  a  free  gift,  to  the 
Connecticut  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  by  the  heirs  of 
Oliver  Ellsworth,  a  race  now  widely  scattered,  but  uniting  as  one  in  this 
gracious  act,  and  the  Daughters,  accepting  it  as  a  sacred  charge,  have, 
with  an  equal  generosity,  met  the  responsibility;  their  aim  being  to 
accomplish  a  work  worthy  the  eminent  statesman  and  wife  whose  mem- 
ory we  honor;  worthy  the  gracious  act  of  the  descendants  of  this  same 
patriot  who  place  his  home  in  the  possession  of  these  women  of  Con- 


46  EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF 

necticut,  the  state  he  nobly  loved  and  ably  served,  and  also  worthy  the 
society  they  represent,  and  whose  objects  of  existence  are  to  preserve 
history  and  promote  patriotism. 

The  days  of  the  past  month  have  been  crowded  with  deeds  of  kindness, 
as  the  offerings  from  "Daughters"  have  poured  in,  and  Ellsworth 
descendants  and  a  sympathetic  public  have  joined  in  the  general  bringing 
of  good  gifts.  Within  this  historic  building — now  illumined  with  a 
new  and  almost  sacred  light — are  being  gathered  the  visible  expressions 
of  generous  souls.  There  are  contagions  of  many  sorts,  but  I  know  of 
none  more  irresistible  than  that  of  kindness  and  generosity.  For  a  month 
I  have  lived  in  an  atmosphere  seemingly  charged  with  the  donating 
spirit,  and  my  head  has  been  in  a  whirl,  as  from  all  sides  have  come 
showers  of  questions  as  to  what  was  wanted  for  the  Ellsworth  house; 
it  has  been  a  sort  of  perpetual  Christmas.  Already  you  can  see  the  boun- 
tiful tokens  of  a  spirit  loving,  loyal,  patriotic,  and  surely  it  portends  well 
for  the  future  that  this  twentieth  century  opens  under  the  benign  influ- 
ence of  a  general  spirit  of  ministration  and  giving.  Here  in  Windsor 
the  labor  of  love  has  enrolled  many  in  its  service  and  aid  and  gifts  have 
come  from  many  sources.  Hartford  merchants  have  lengthened  out  our 
meager  purse-strings  by  a  kindly  amelioration  in  prices. 

In  a  very  brief  time  a  great  deal  of  work  has  been  accomplished  in 
the  thorough  renovation  of  this  ancient  building.  Although  in  fairly 
good  condition,  it  exhibited  here  and  there  the  weakness  of  age.  It  has 
been  strengthened  by  a  new  sill  and  the  floors  have  received  strong  sup- 
ports; with  new  leaders  from  the  roof  above  and  a  new  drain  in  the 
earth  beneath,  we  hope  all  floods  may  be  led  away  from  destruction  of 
our  treasure;  the  well  has  been  cleaned  out,  the  chimneys,  sometime 
bricked  up,  have  been  cleared  and  put  in  perfect  order.  Within,  the 
painters  and  paperers  have  made  the  old  walls  to  shine  with  the  glow  of 
renewed  youth.  There  were  some  ancient  wall  papers  we  wanted  much 
to  save,  but  torn  and  stained  they  failed  to  harmonize  with  the  youth 
and  freshness  beside  them  and  had  to  go.  Two  remain  in  the  north  and 
south  chambers;  that  in  the  former  being  the  one  (long  an  object  of 
curiosity  in  this  section)  which  Judge  Ellsworth  brought  from  France 
in  1801. 

In  this  lovely  home,  by  which  (at  the  rear  of  the  house)  rolls  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  rivers  in  the  world — our  own  Connecticut — Oliver  Ells- 
worth passed  a  stately  and  gracious  existence,  surrounded  by  the  blessings 
of  domestic  life.  Many  objects  in  that  home  remain  here  to  bind  us  in  a 
material  association  with  a  remote  past.  The  bedstead  on  which  he 
slept  many  years,  and  died  in  1807,  has  been  put  in  perfect  order  and 
draped  as  it  was  when  his  eyes  rested  upon  the  graceful  hangings.  The 
cradle  which  soothed  to  slumber  his  many  children,  and  the  trundle  bed 
which  accommodated  them  as  they  advanced  from  infancy  to  a  larger 
growth.  A  beautiful  set  of  Chippendale  furniture  antedated  1792,  for  in 
that  year  was  painted  the  famous  portrait  (now  hanging  in  the  Hartford 
Atheneum)  where  the  distinguished  judge  and  wife  are  represented 
seated  upon  the  chairs.  The  set  was  originally  covered  with  a  moire 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  47 

linen  material.  One  chair  in  the  same  dress  is  loaned  for  the  day  by 
a  descendant.  The  sofa  remains  in  the  house  where  it  has  been  a  con- 
spicuous ornament  for  more  than  a  century.  It  has  been  given  to  the 
Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth  chapter  of  Windsor,  in  memory  of  the  first 
Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth,  by  the  descendants  of  Abigail  Wolcott  Ells- 
worth Hall.  It  required  covering,  but  the  original  treatment  was  fol- 
lowed and  the  color  of  the  old  cover  was  matched  with  a  satisfying 
exactness.  This  sofa,  sufficiently  rare  and  beautiful  to  thrill  the  pulse  of 
any  "collector,"  will  be  one  of  the  features  in  the  Connecticut  house  at 
St.  Louis  in  1904.  Also  the  bedstead  of  Oliver  Ellsworth  will  have  an 
honored  place,  both  of  which  pieces  are  to  be  loaned  for  the  great  exposi- 
tion, where  we  expect  that  Connecticut  in  its  house,  which  is  a  repro- 
duction of  one  of  its  own  early  dwellings,  will  present  rare  attractions  in 
its  architectural  graces  and  true  antique  furnishings. 

The  Gobelin  tapestry  presented  by  Napoleon  Bonaparte  to  Oliver  Ells- 
worth, and  reputed  to  be  the  only  piece  of  this  kind  ever  owned  outside 
of  royalty,  hangs  over  the  mantel  in  the  drawing-room,  while  below  it 
stands  the  marble  clock  brought  home  from  Paris.  These  treasures  are 
loaned  for  the  day  only. 

A  Sheraton  card  table,  a  candle  stand,  a  lamp,  mirrors,  chairs  and  spin- 
ning-wheel long  in  the  Ellsworth  household  are  returned  by  the  heirs  to 
once  more  fill  their  accustomed  places. 

I  will  here  say,  lest  the  house  may  be  considered  more  fully  furnished 
than  is  really  the  case,  that  many  things  have  been  loaned  us  for  the 
occasion,  either  for  the  historic  quality  of  the  article  or  to  meet  certain 
needs,  as  is  the  case  of  the  rugs  in  the  lower  south  rooms. 

To  the  heirs  of  Oliver  Ellsworth  who  have  thus  generously  given  his 
historic  home,  I  would  most  heartily  express  the  gratitude  of  the  Con- 
necticut Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  for  whom  I  would 
pledge  their  faithful  care  and  patriotic  homage. 

To  Mrs.  Delia  Lyman  Porter,  whose  spirit  has  been  the  inspiring  force 
to  carry  to  successful  issue  the  large  undertaking,  I  would  express  not 
only  our  thanks,  but  our  admiration  of  that  dual  force  of  generous 
impulse  and  energetic  exertion,  before  which  all  obstacles  have  dis- 
appeared. In  recognition  of  her  services,  the  Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chap- 
ter of  New  Haven  has  created  her  a  life  member. 

To  all  persons — and  their  number  is  legion — who  in  various  ways  have 
helped  us  in  this  most  interesting  work,  I  would  give  assurance  of  our 
appreciation  and  cordial  thanks. 

It  is  no  small  favor  to  have  for  the  honor  of  this  celebration  the 
presence  of  the  Governor  of  the  State  and  his  staff,  state  officers  and  the 
Governor's  Foot  Guard.  Not  only  for  the  hostess  of  the  day,  but  for  the 
residents  of  Windsor  and  all  here  present,  I  feel  I  am  authorized  to 
express  our  appreciation,  our  admiration  for  the  gallant  military,  and  our 
thanks.  What  good  Connecticut  citizen  can  ever  look  upon  the  uniform 
of  the  Foot  Guard — a  beautiful  heritage  from  the  true  Colonial  period — 
without  emotion! 


48      EXERCISES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF  THE  ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD. 

I  cannot  close  without  a  word  of  the  old  cemetery  in  "Ancient  Wind- 
sor." It  is  one  of  the  most  venerable  and  interesting  in  the  country  and 
the  town  is  to  be  congratulated  not  alone  on  the  quality  and  number  of 
distinguished  forefathers  herein  buried,  but  also  upon  the  fine  condition 
of  both  grounds  and  stones.  To-day  you  will  find  the  monuments  of 
Oliver  Ellsworth  and  Abigail  Wolcott,  his  wife,  draped  with  the  national 
colors  and  adorned  with  wreaths  of  laurel  constructed  by  young  ladies 
of  Windsor.  The  scroll  top  sarcophagus  of  Henry  Wolcott,  a  most  rare 
and  beautiful  monument,  is  also  draped.  Those  visiting  the  yard  will 
surely  want  to  pay  tribute  to  a  memorial  of  renown — said  to  be  the 
oldest  in  New  England — that  of  the  Rev.  Ephraim  Huit,  1643.  On  the 
other  side,  and  inscribed  at  a  much  later  date,  is  the  epitaph  to  the  Rev. 
John  Wareham,  the  progenitor  of  a  very  distinguished  and  numerous 
posterity. 

Some  of  the  best  blood  in  old  England  came  to  this  beautiful  spot 
on  the  Connecticut  river;  from  here  it  has  flowed  westward,  a  mighty 
force  in  carrying  these  germs  of  national  life,  which  originated  in  a 
state  small  in  geographical  limitations  it  is  true,  but  large  enough  to  have 
created  an  original  form  of  government,  upon  which  are  based  the  prin- 
ciples of  constitutional  liberty,  and  which  should  now  receive  the  tardy 
but  well-merited  title  of  the  Constitution  State. 

"America"  was  sung  by  the  audience  with  band  accompani- 
ment and  the  exercises  concluded  with  the  benediction  by  the 
Rev.  Roscoe  Nelson  of  the  Windsor  Congregational  Church. 

An  informal  reception  to  Governor  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain 
followed,  the  descendants  of  Ellsworth  being  the  first  to  greet 
the  Governor. 


A   LIST 


OF   THE 


GIFTS   AND    LOANS 


ELLSWORTH    HOMESTEAD 

WINDSOR,  CONNECTICUT 


SINCE  ITS  PRESENTATION  BY  THE  DESCENDANTS  OF 

CHIEF  JUSTICE  OLIVER  ELLSWORTH  AND  ABIGAIL  WOLCOTT  ELLSWORTH, 

HIS  WIFE,  TO  THE  CONNECTICUT  DAUGHTERS  OF  THE 

AMERICAN  REVOLUTION. 


COMPILED   BY 

FANNIE  M.  OLMSTED 

RUTH  WYLLYS  CHAPTER. 


1903-1907 


GIFTS  AND  LOANS 

FROM 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  ELLSWORTH  FAMILY 


GIFTS. 

MANUSCRIPT  BOOK — Containing  the  names  of  the  donors  of  the  Ells- 
worth Homestead,  comprising  every  descendant  of  Chief  Justice 
Oliver  Ellsworth  and  Abigail  (Wolcott)  Ellsworth,  his  wife,  living 
at  the  time;  forty  great-grandchildren,  fifty-nine  great-great-grand- 
children, and  seventeen  great-great-great-grandchildren,  also  two,  who 
gave  inherited  shares,  though  not  of  Ellsworth  lineage,  and  one  donor 
interested  through  collateral  relationship.  The  names,  mostly  auto- 
graphs, were  collected  throughout  two  continents,  and  bound  by  Mrs. 
Frank  Chamberlin  (Delia  Lyman)  Porter.  The  red  and  white  chintz 
of  the  cover,  bearing  a  figure  of  Washington,  the  guest  of  the  Home- 
stead, on  one  side,  and  Revolutionary  ammunition  on  the  other,  was 
inherited  by  Mrs.  Porter's  grandmother,  Frances,  daughter  of  Oliver 
Ellsworth,  and  wife  of  Judge  Joseph  Wood.  The  lining,  of  old 
"Elmwood"  home-spun  linen,  was  contributed  by  Mrs.  William  Wol- 
cott Taintor,  through  Mrs.  Frederick  Wendell  (Mary  Taintor)  Davis, 
and  was  inherited  through  the  line  of  Martin,  son  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

DONORS  OF  THE  ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD. 

DESCENDANT  OF 
ABIGAIL  (ELLSWORTH)  WILLIAMS,  daughter  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

Augusta  Hart  Williams   Hartford,  Connecticut. 

"and  in  loving  memory  of  Mary  Howard  Williams." 

DESCENDANTS  OF 
MARTIN,  son  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

Gertrude   (Reynolds)   Riff  el  New  Orleans,  Louisiana. 

Geneve  Ellsworth   (Reynolds)    Stuart    Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Sophie   Wolcott   Stuart    Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Edward  Ellsworth   Reynolds   Lafayette,  Indiana. 

George  Varnum  Curtis  Springfield,  Massachusetts. 

Ralph  Curtis   Springfield,  Massachusetts. 

Ruth  Alden  Curtis    Windsor,   Connecticut 

Alice  Lindsly  (Hall)  Wyckoff Buffalo,  New  York. 

Ellsworth  Hall  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

Richards  Wyckoff  Hall  Somerville,  Massachusetts. 

*  Martin  Ellsworth  Hall Commander  U.  S.  Navy,  retired. 

Margaret  Woodburn  Hall   Lowell,  Massachusetts. 

*  Deceased. 


52  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

Annie  Louise  Hall   Lowell,  Massachusetts. 

Wolcott  Ellsworth  Hall   U.  S.  Navy. 

Oliver    Gushing   Hall    Lowell,  Massachusetts. 

Fanny  Elizabeth  Hall  Buffalo,  New  York. 

*  Martha  Wolcott  (Hall)   Hitchcock   New  York  City. 

Roger  Wolcott  Hitchcock    New  York  City. 

Ripley   Hitchcock,   Jr New  York  City. 

*  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor    Hartford,  Connecticut. 

George  Edwin  Taintor   Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Lucy  Strong  Taintor  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

William  Wolcott  Taintor   Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Arline  Deolph  Taintor    Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Delia  Ellsworth  Taintor   Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Frederick  Taintor   Coin,  Oklahoma. 

Henry  Cone  Taintor    Coin,  Oklahoma. 

Oliver  Ellsworth  Taintor  Coin,  Oklahoma. 

Mary   Ellen    (Taintor)    Davis    Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Dorothy  Wendell  Davis Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Roger  Wolcott  Davis  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Frederick  Ellsworth  Davis  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

*  Elise   Pierrepont   Davis    Hartford,  Connecticut. 

DESCENDANTS  OF 
FRANCES  (ELLSWORTH)  WOOD,  daughter  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

Katherine  Bontecou  Wood  New  York  City. 

Emily  Merwin   (Wood)   Vinal   Washington,  D.  C. 

George   Wood   Merwin  Vinal    Washington,  D.  C. 

Oliver  Ellsworth   Wood,   Major,   Artillery   Corps,   U.    S.   A.,    Military 

Attache,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Norton  Ellsworth  Wood,  Second  Lieutenant,  Artillery  Corps,  U.  S.  Army. 
Elizabeth  Ellsworth  (Lyman)   McCandliss  ...New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

Delia  Wood  (Lyman)  Porter  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

Lyman  Edwards  Porter   New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

William  Quincy  Porter < New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

Chester  Wolcott  Lyman    New  York   City. 

Bessie  Lawrence   (Barnes)    Watson   Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania. 

Harold  Butler   Barnes    Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania. 

Gladys  Wolcott  Barnes  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania. 

John  Lawrence  Wood Dallas,  Texas. 

Henry  Ellsworth  Wood    Denver,  Colorado. 

*  Katharine  Earl  (Wood)  Manice  Denver,  Colorado. 

Katharine  Wood  Manice  Denver,  Colorado. 

Oliver  Ellsworth   Wood    Denver,  Colorado. 

Lawrence  Matteson  Wood   Denver,  Colorado. 

Alice  Wolcott  Wood  Dansville,  New  York. 

Grace  Lyman  Wood   Joliet,  Illinois. 

*  Deceased. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  53 

DESCENDANTS  OF 
WILLIAM  WOLCOTT,  son  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

Julia  Sterling  (Ellsworth)  Lyman Asheville,  North  Carolina. 

Ellsworth  Lyman  Asheville,  North  Carolina. 

Emily  Webster    (Ellsworth)    Anderson    Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Wolcott   Webster    Ellsworth    Johnstown,  New  York. 

Louise  Wolcott  Ellsworth  Johnstown,  New  York. 

Ernest  Bradford  Ellsworth   Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Frank  Day  Ellsworth   Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Edith  Townsend    (Ellsworth)    Parker    Hartford,  Connecticut 

John  Dobson  Parker,  Jr Hartford,  Corinecticut 

Alice  Greenleaf  (Ellsworth)  Burnham  Portland,  Maine. 

Margaret  Elizabeth   Burnham    Portland,  Maine. 

Emily  Elizabeth  (Jackson)  Nicholas  Geneva,  New  York 

William   Webster  Ellsworth    New  York  City. 

Lucy  Morris   (Ellsworth)   Creevy   New  York  City. 

Carlotta   Creevy    New  York  City. 

Bradford   Ellsworth    New  York  City. 

Helen   Adelaide   Ellsworth    New  York  City. 

Elizabeth   Ellsworth    New  York  City. 

Oliver  Ellsworth  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

Emily  Orah  Ellsworth  New  York  City. 

Julia   Sterling   (Hutchins)    Wolcott   Munich,  Bavaria. 

Charles  Moseley  Wolcott   Munich,  Bavaria. 

Elizabeth  Hutchins  Wolcott  Munich,  Bavaria. 

Julia  Hutchins  Wolcott  Munich,  Bavaria. 

Augustus    Schell   Hutchins    New  York  City. 

Waldo   Hutchins    New  York  City. 

Waldo  Hutchins,  Jr New  York  City. 

Margaret  J.   Hutchins   New  York  City. 

William   Ellsworth   Hutchins    New  York  City. 

DESCENDANTS  OF 
HENRY  LEAVITT,  son  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

Edward    Augustus    Ellsworth    Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Annie  Ellsworth    Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Ada  Whittredge   (Ellsworth)    Stuart   Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Marie    Stuart    Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Allison   Ellsworth   Stuart    Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Annie  Florence  Ellsworth  Lafayette,  Indiana. 

Oliver   Ellsworth    San  Francisco,  California. 

Beatrice   Ellsworth    San  Francisco,  California. 

Edward  A.  Ellsworth    Niles,  California. 

Edward  A.  Ellsworth,  Jr Niles,  California. 

Harriet  Bryant  Ellsworth  Niles,  California. 

Henry  Goodrich  Ellsworth  Oakland,  California. 

Rodney  Ellsworth    Oakland,  California. 


54  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

Muriel  Ellsworth    Oakland,  California. 

Jennie   ( Ellsworth)    Price   Reno,  Nevada. 

Susan  (Ellsworth)  Oliver  Oakland,  California. 

Albert  Ellsworth  Oliver    Oakland,  California. 

Caroline  Louise  Oliver  Oakland,  California. 

Ellen  Augusta  (Ellsworth)  Rose  Elmira,  New  York. 

Robert  L.  Bachman   New  York  City. 

Ellen  Ellsworth  Bachman  Knoxville,  Tennessee. 

*  Kirke  Rose  Bachman   New  York  City. 

Blanche  (Rose)   Higgins   Chicago,  Illinois. 

Ellen   (Higgins)    Dickey   New  York  City. 

Alfred  Kirke  Higgins  Chicago,  Illinois. 

May  Rose   Higgins    Chicago,  Illinois. 

Charlotte  Ellsworth   (Rose)   Stanley   Elmira,  New  York. 

Alfred  Holt  Stanley  Elmira,  New  York. 

Julia  Goodrich  (Ros well- Smith)  Inness  Montclair,  New  Jersey. 

"In  loving  memory  of  Annie  Goodrich  (Ellsworth)  Roswell-Smith." 

Elizabeth  Inness   Montclair,  New  Jersey. 

Julia  Inness    Montclair,  New  Jersey. 

*  Goodrich   Inness    Montclair,  New  Jersey. 

also 

Mary  ( Prout)  West Rutland,  Vermont. 

George  W.  Strong Washington,  D.  C. 

t Heirs   through   Ellen    (Strong)    (Prout)    daughter   of 
Martin,  son  of  Oliver  Ellsworth.) 

James  W.  Ellsworth  New  York  City. 

(A  kinsman.) 

This  Manuscript  Book  was  presented,  with  the  deed  of  the  Homestead, 
by  MRS.  FRANK  CHAMBERLIN  PORTER. 

KNEE  BUCKLES — Brilliants  set  in  silver.  In  the  original  satin-lined  case 
bearing  the  mark  of  "J.  Anthony,  Goldsmith  &  Jeweller,  No.  76  Market 
Street,  Philad."  Formerly  owned  by  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth. 

Presented  by  the   only  living  descendant   of   his   oldest   child,  Abigail,   Miss 
Augusta  Hart  Williams. 

SOFA — Belonging  to  a  set  of  Chippendale  mahogany  furniture,  owned 
by  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth.  A  chair  of  this  set  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
portrait  by  Ralph  Earl  [page  12],  arid  in  an  old  photograph  of 
the  drawing-room  hanging  in  the  present  reception  room.  The 
present  cover  of  DuBarry  rose  brocade  replaces  the  original  one  of 
rose  linen  moire.  The  sofa  was  loaned  to  the  Connecticut  Building 
of  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  at  St.  Louis,  1904. 

Presented  in  memory  of  Abigail  (Wolcott)  Ellsworth,  wife  of  Oliver  Ells- 
worth, to  the  chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  in 
Windsor  which  bears  her  name,  by  the  descendants  of  her  grand- 
daughter, Abigail  Wolcott  (Ellsworth)  Hall,  daughter  of  Major  Martin 
Ellsworth:  Mrs.  Cornelius  C.  (Alice  Lindsly  Hall)  Wyckoff,  Commander 
Martin  Ellsworth  Hall,  U.  S.  N.,  retired,  Miss  Fanny  Elizabeth  Hall, 
George  Varnum  Curtis,  Miss  Ruth  Alden  Curtis,  Ellsworth  Hall, 
Richards  Wyckoff  Hall,  Roger  Wolcott  Hitchcock,  Ripley  Hitchcock,  Jr. 
*  Deceased. 


GOBELIN    TAPESTRY    PRESENTED   BY    NAPOLEON    BONAPARTE   TO   OLIVER 
ELLSWORTH. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  55 

LOOKING-GLASS — 4  feet  2  inches  x  2  feet.  Gilt  frame,  with  balls  under 
the  cornice;  gilded  landscape  in  upper  panel.  An  original  Ellsworth 
piece. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Alice  Lindsly  (Hall)   IVyckoff. 

LOOKING-GLASS — 24  inches  x  13  inches.  Gilt  frame,  with  balls  under  the 
cornice;  quaint  and  crude  picture  of  a  cow  in  the  upper  panel.  An 
original  Ellsworth  piece. 

Presented  by  Commander  Martin  Ellsworth  Hall,  U.  S.  N. 

CARD  TABLE — Sheraton.  Mahogany,  inlaid  with  bird's-eye  maple;  fold- 
ing leaf;  slender  fluted  legs.  An  original  Ellsworth  piece. 

Presented    by    Miss    Fanny    Elisabeth    Hall. 

CHAIR — Black  frame,  rush  seat.    An  original  Ellsworth  piece. 
Presented  by  Miss  Ruth  Alden  Curtis  and  George  Vurnum  Curtis. 

FLAX  WHEEL — Old  Ellsworth  relic. 

Presented  by  Ellsworth  Hall  and  Richards  IVyckoff  Hall. 

ASTRAL  LAMP — Old  Ellsworth  relic. 

Presented  by  the  Hon.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor,  grandson  of  Major  Martin 
Ellsworth. 

LOANS. 

CLOCK — Louis  XVI.,  white  marble,  with  original  and  rare  shade  of  glass 
panels.  Brought  by  Oliver  Ellsworth  from  France  in  1801. 

Loaned  for  the  opening  day  by  Commander  Martin  Ellsworth  Hall,  U.  S.  N. 

MIRROR — Oval,   rare  design;    gilt  frame,  with  border  of  glass  panels. 
Brought  by  Oliver  Ellsworth  from  France  in  1801. 
Loaned  for  the  day  by  Miss  Ruth  Alden  Curtis. 

PORTRAIT  OF  MAJOR  MARTIN   ELLSWORTH — (1783-1857)    son  of   Oliver 
Ellsworth,  in  whose  line  the  Homestead  came  down.     (Wood.) 
Loaned  for  the  day  by  Ellsworth  Hall  and  Richards  Wyckoff  Hall. 

PORTRAIT  OF  SOPHIA  (WOLCOTT)  ELLSWORTH — (1786-1870)  wife  of  Major 
Martin  Ellsworth,  and  great-granddaughter  of  Governor  Roger  Wol- 
cott.  (King.) 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Miss  Fanny  Elisabeth  Hall. 

WOLCOTT  COAT-OF-ARMS — Embroidered  in  gold  and  colors  on  white  satin, 
by   Sophia    (Wolcott)    Ellsworth,   great-granddaughter   of   Governor 
Roger  Wolcott,  and  bearing  her  monogram.    Inherited  as  the  oldest 
daughter  of  an  oldest  daughter  for  four  generations,  and 
Loaned  for  the  day  by  Miss  Ruth  Alden  Curtis. 

GOBELIN  TAPESTRY — "The  Shepherd."  Presented  by  Napoleon  Bona- 
parte, First  Consul  of  France,  to  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth,  when  Envoy 
Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  that  country  under 
President  Adams,  1799-1800. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  the  Hon.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor,  Trustee.  [Presi- 
dent John  Adams  was  a  guest  of  the  Homestead  October  3,  1799.  Presi- 
dent Adams  in  Boston  Pilot.  Ellsworth  to  Pickering  October  5,  1799.] 


56  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

COFFEE  URN — Silver  and  copper.    Formerly  owned  by  Oliver  Ellsworth. 
Loaned  by  the  Hon.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

CHAIR — Chippendale,  mahogany,  original  cover  of  rose  linen  moire;* 
studded  with  brass  nails.  Owned  by  Oliver  Ellsworth.  To  be  seen 
in  the  portrait  by  Ralph  Earl.  [See  illustration,  facing  page  12.] 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  the  Hon.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

SHOE  BUCKLES — Silver.    Once  the  property  of  Oliver  Ellsworth. 
Loaned  for  the  day  by  the  Hon.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

TESTER  BEDSTEAD — Once  the  property  of  Oliver  Ellsworth,  and  stood,  as 
it  now  stands,  in  the  "drawing-room  chamber." 
Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

BEDSPREAD  AND  DRESSING  TABLE  COVER — For  "drawing-room  chamber." 
White  cotton,  elaborately  filled  and  quilted.     The   work  of   Sophia 
Wolcott  (Mrs.  Martin  Ellsworth),  as  part  of  her  wedding  outfit. 
Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

TESTER — White  dimity,  with  netted  chenille  fringe  accompanying  the 
above. 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

WASHSTAND — Bird's-eye  maple,  square,  flat  top,  round  brass  handle  to 
drawer.    Belonging  in  "drawing-room  chamber." 
Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Henry  Ellsworth  Taintor. 

WRIST  BAG — White  silk,  embroidered  in  silver,  shaped  like  a  mitre. 
Presented  by  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  First  Consul,  to  Chief  Justice  Ells- 
worth, for  Mrs.  Ellsworth,  when  on  his  mission  to  France  under 
President  Adams,  1799-1800. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Frederick  Wendell  Davis. 

CANDLESTAND — Cherry;  tripod,  one  of  the  early  furnishings  preserved 
in  the  Homestead. 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Frederick  Wendell  Davis. 

*  In  a  charming  paper  read  before  the  Buffalo  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  on  Washington's  Birthday,  1893,  and  again  at  the  reunion  of 
Ellsworth  descendants,  preceding  the  transference  of  the  Homestead,  Mrs.  Alice 
Hall  Wyckoff  describes  her  childish  delight  when,  during  their  annual  visit  at 
Elmwood,  Major  Martin  Ellsworth  would  tell  the  little  ones  about  President  Wash- 
ington's call  there.  At  the  close,  "a  mighty  sigh  of  relief  went  up  from  his 
youthful  listeners,  that  Grandpa  had  lived  to  tell  the  tale  of  such  an  ordeal  as 
actual  speech  with  the  great  General  Washington  I  Then  all  but  the  baby  would 
desert  the  old  man's  chair  and  scatter  about  the  room,  climbing  into  every  one  of 
the  red  covered  chairs,  to  be  sure  we  sat  in  the  very  chair  that  Washington  sat 
in, — nn  instinct  which  is  still  strong  within  me  when  I  go  into  the  dear  old  room." 


•5  s 

•vi  _r- 

3  o 

>  s 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  57 

PLASTER  MODEL — From  which  was  made  the  marble  bust  of  Chief  Justice 
Ellsworth  in  the  Supreme  Court-room  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington. 
The  sculptor,  Hezekiah  Augur,  of  New  Haven,  used  authentic  like- 
nesses of  the  jurist,  and  also  had  sittings  from  his  daughter,  Frances 
(Mrs.  Joseph  Wood),  who  resembled  him  in  certain  features. 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  the  grandson  of  Mrs.  Wood,  Colonel  Oliver  Ells- 
worth Wood,  U.  S.  A.,  retired. 

AUTOGRAPH  LETTER — Original.  From  General  George  Washington  to 
Chief  Justice  Oliver  Ellsworth.  Dated  at  Philadelphia,  8th  March, 
1797  (within  the  week  after  the  close  of  his  second  term  as  President). 
Signed  "always  and  affectionately  yours,  Go.  Washington."  [See 
illustration,  facing  page  40.]  Inherited  through  her  mother,  Delia 
(Wood)  Lyman,  daughter  of  Frances  (Ellsworth;  Wood,  daughter  of 
Oliver  Ellsworth,  and 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin  Porter. 

[President  Washington  was  a  guest  of  the  Homestead  October  21,  1789.  See 
Washington's  Diary  of  same  date.] 

ELLSWORTH  COAT-OF-ARMS — Embroidered  in  colors  on  white  satin,  about 
one  hundred  years  ago,  by  Delia,  daughter  of  Oliver  Ellsworth,  and 
wife  of  Thomas  Scott  Williams,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Connecticut. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin  Porter. 

PHOTOGRAPH  OF  PORTRAIT — Of  Chief  Justice  and  Mrs.  Ellsworth, 
painted  by  Ralph  Earl  about  1792,  as  it  formerly  hung  in  the  drawing- 
room,  showing  the  original  furniture  of  the  room,  including  Chippen- 
dale chairs. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Frank  Chamberlin  Porter. 

CREAM  PITCHER — Silver,  beaded,  with  serpent  handle.  Brought  from 
France  by  Oliver  Ellsworth  in  1801,  for  Mrs.  Phoebe  (Lyman)  Ells- 
worth, wife  of  his  older  brother  David. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  her  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Eliza  J.  (Ellsworth)  Geer. 

CHAIR — 1690.     Formerly   owned   by    "Priest    Russell."     Bought    from 
the  Russell  estate  by  David  Ellsworth  named  above. 
Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Eliga  J.  (Ellsworth)  Geer. 

QUILT — Stitched  in  design  of  shells  upon  the  first  calico  brought  to  this 
country  from  India. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Eliza  J.  (Ellsworth)  Geer. 

PLATE— Old  Delft. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Mrs.  Eliza  J.  (Ellsworth)  Geer. 

WRITING  DESK — Maple.  Four  drawers  set  into  low  frame  with  bandy 
legs  and  hoof  feet ;  sloping  top  lets  down  upon  pulls ;  inside  compart- 
ments with  secret  drawer;  willow  brasses  and  escutcheons  of  simplest 
design. 

Formerly  owned  by  Jonathan  Ellsworth  (1668-1749),  grandfather  of  Oliver 
Ellsworth,  descending  through  lines  of  Giles  and  Roger  to  Mrs.  Sarah 
Halsey  Hayden,  by  whom  it  is  loaned  indefinitely. 


58  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

Contributions  to  the  Fund  for  Repairs  and  Maintenance  of 
the  Ellsworth  Homestead  have  been  received  from  the  follow- 
ing Chapters  and  Individuals : 

CHAPTERS. 

Abigail  Phelps  Chapter Simsbury. 

Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth  Chapter Windsor. 

Anne  Brewster  Fanning  Chapter Jewett  City. 

Anna  Warner  Bailey  Chapter Groton  and  Stonington. 

Anne  Wood  Elderkin  Chapter Willimantic. 

Elizabeth  Clarke  Hull  Chapter Ansonia. 

Elizabeth  Porter  Putnam  Chapter Putnam. 

Emma  Hart  Willard  Chapter Berlin. 

Esther  Stanley  Chapter New  Britain. 

Faith  Trumbull  Chapter Norwich. 

Fanny  Ledyard  Chapter Mystic. 

Freelove  Baldwin  Stow  Chapter Milf ord 

Green   Woods  Chapter Winsted. 

Hannah  Benedict  Carter  Chapter New  Canaan. 

Judea  Chapter  Washington. 

Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter  Bristol. 

Lucretia  Shaw  Chapter New  London. 

Martha  Pitkin  Wolcott  Chapter East  Hartford  and  South  Windsor. 

Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter New  Haven. 

Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter Litchfield. 

Mary  Silliman  Chapter Bridgeport. 

Melicent  Porter  Chapter Waterbury. 

Nathan  Hale  Memorial  Chapter East  Haddam. 

Norwalk  Chapter  Norwalk. 

Orford  Parish  Chapter South  Manchester. 

Phoebe  Humphrey  Chapter Collinsville. 

Roger  Sherman  Chapter New  Milford. 

Ruth  Hart  Chapter Meriden. 

Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter Hartford. 

Sabra  Trumbull  Chapter Rockville. 

Sarah  Ludlow  Chapter    Seymour. 

Sarah  Riggs  Humphreys  Chapter Derby. 

Sarah  Whitman  Hooker  Chapter West  Hartford. 

Sarah  Whitman  Trumbull  Chapter Watertown. 

Sibbil  Dwight  Kent  Chapter Suffield  and  Windsor  Locks. 

Stamford  Chapter    Stamford. 

Susan  Carrington  Clarke  Chapter Meriden. 

Torrington  Chapter Torrington. 

Wadsworth  Chapter Middletown. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  59 

PERSONAL  CONTRIBUTIONS. 

Mrs.  Frank  W.  Benedict,  New  Haven Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter. 

Mrs.  Julia  A.  Bradley,  Southington Hannah  Woodruff  Chapter. 

Mrs.  Frank  W.  Cheney,  South  Manchester Or  ford  Parish  Chapter. 

The  Misses  Cheney,  South  Manchester Orford  Parish  Chapter. 

Mrs.  Amos  Culver,  Naugatuck Sarah  Ludlow  Chapter. 

Mrs.  Virginia  T.  Curtis,  New  Haven Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter. 

Mrs.  W.  W.  Farnam,  New  Haven Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter. 

Miss  Elizabeth  Hubbell,  Hartford Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter. 

Mrs.  William  H.  Prescott,  Rockville Sabra  Trumbull  Chapter. 

Mrs.  Samuel  R.  Weed,  Rowayton Norwalk  Chapter. 

Messrs.  Welles  and  Brinker,  Windsor,  contributed  work  on  repairs. 


GIFTS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE  STATE  REGENT 
MRS.  SARA  THOMSON  KINNEY. 


GIFTS. 

PROOF  PRINTS — Illustrations  accompanying  the  record  of  work  of  the 
Connecticut  Chapters  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  con- 
tained in  the  Fourth  Report  of  the  National  Society  to  the  United 
States  Government,  of  which  Report  the  Connecticut  State  Regent, 
Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney,  was  editor;  this  annual  report,  made  through 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  being  a  provision  of  the  act  of  incorpora- 
tion by  the  United  States  Government. 

Presented  by  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 

LES    COMBATTANTS    FRANC.AIS    DE    LA    GUERRE    AMERICAINE,    1778-1783 — 

Listes  etablies  d'apres  les  documents  authentiques  deposes  aux 
Archives  Nationales  et  aux  Archives  du  Ministere  de  la  Guerre. 

Publiees  par  les  Soins  du  Ministere  des  Affaires  Etrangeres  Paris. 
Ancienne  Maison  Quantin  Libraries.  Imprimeries  Reunies  Motteroz, 
Martinet  7,  rue  Saint.  Benoit,  7.  1903. 

Contains  the  name  of  every  French  soldier  who  fought  in  the  War 
of  the  American  Revolution.  Illustrated.  One  of  850  copies  presented 
for  distribution  in  this  country. 

Gift  of  the  Department  of  State  of  the  United   States  Government  through 
the  Regent  of  Connecticut,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 

GAVEL — A  silver  band  bears  this  inscription:  "This  gavel  of  historic 
Charter  Oak  was  presented  to  the  Connecticut  D.  A.  R.  by  Sara  T. 
Kinney,  State  Regent: — February,  1904." 

GAVEL  BLOCK — This  block,  which  is  encircled  by  an  inscribed  silver  band, 
was  cut  from  a  beam  of  Mount  Vernon  "mansion  house,"  the  home  of 
George  Washington,  and  is  a  gift  through  the  Regent  of  Connecticut, 
of  Mrs.  Eleanor  Selden  (Washington)  Howard,  Regent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  who  was  the  last  daugh- 
ter born  under  its  roof,  her  younger  brother  having  been  the  last  child. 
Their  father,  John  Augustine  Washington,  Jr.,  a  great-great-nephew 
of  General  Washington,  was  the  last  private  owner  of  the  estate,  and 
sold  it  to  the  association  of  women  who  have  cared  for  it  exactly  half 
a  century. 

OLD  ENGLISH  PRINT — In  colors,  framed.  Subject,  "An  English  Girl  at 
a  Well."  Drawn  on  stone  by  M.  Gauci,  from  an  original  drawing  by 
J.  Innes.  London,  Published  and  printed  by  Engelmann,  Graf,  Coin- 
det  &  Co.,  Newman  St.  May,  1830. 

Inherited  from   her  mother,   and   presented   by  the   State  Regent,  Mrs.   Sara 
T.  Kinney. 

ROCKING  CHAIR — Last  part  of  Eighteenth  Century.    "Four-back,"  large 
rush  bottom,  painted  black.    From  the  Kinney  Homestead  at  Darien, 
Connecticut,  home  of  the  Reverend  Ezra  Dennison  Kinney. 
Presented  by  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 


62  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

SPECIMEN  OF  HANDIWORK — A  notable  example  of  the  "masterpieces" 
which  young  women  of  the  early  nineteenth  century  were  expected  to 
produce  as  proof  of  their  skill  with  needle  and  brush.  The  name  of 
the  subject,  "The  Goddess  of  Liberty,"  and  that  of  the  maker,  "Louisa 
Hearne" — Mrs.  Ezra  Dennison  Kinney,  mother  of  Major  John  Cod- 
dington  Kinney, — appear  in  gilt  on  the  black  mat  within  the  gilt  frame. 
Columbia  attired  in  bespangled  white  silk  embroidery,  a  wreath  on  her 
flowing  hair,  which  is  carefully  painted,  stands  with  one  foot  on 
various  emblems  of  tyranny  in  gold  thread, — a  broken  sceptre  lying 
near  on  the  green  chenille  grass.  She  holds  aloft  a  beaker  from  which 
a  ferocious  eagle,  descending  through  parted  clouds  that  reveal  a  rosy 
background,  is  about  to  drink.  Above  the  clouds  rises  a  pole  sur- 
mounted by  a  Phrygian  cap  and  flying  a  flag  with  seventeen  stars. 
Nearby  is  a  cliff,  below  which  one  has  glimpses  of  houses  and  spires 
and  a  river  with  ships.  Ominous  streaks  of  lightning  threaten  some- 
thing, but  just  what  they  symbolize  in  the  young  artist's  apotheosis 
it  is  hard  to  determine. 

Presented  by  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 

OSAGE  ORANGE  TREE — Grown  from  one  of  thirteen  seeds  planted  in  the 
first  shovelful  of  earth  turned  for  the  foundation  of  Memorial  Con- 
tinental Hall  in  Washington,  October  nth,  1902,  the  twelfth  anniver- 
sary of  the  organization  of  the  National  Society  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution.  The  plants  from  these  seeds  were  propagated 
in  Washington  and  presented  to  the  regents  representing  the  thirteen 
colonies. 

Connecticut's  tree  was  planted  in  the  grounds  of  the  Ellsworth 
Homestead,  June  7th,  1904,  at  a  meeting  of  the  regents  of  the  State, 
every  Daughter  present  assisting. 

Presented  through  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 

TRUNK — 9  x  20  x  II  inches.  Covered  with  cowhide  with  the  initials 
"S.  B."  in  brass  nails  on  the  top.  It  held  the  wardrobe  of  the  donor's 
mother,  Susan  Belcher,  when  she  went  from  her  home  in  Granby, 
Massachusetts,  to  attend  the  Hopkins  Academy  in  Old  Hadley,  about 
eighty  years  ago. 

Presented  by  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 

TRUNK — Made  for  the  doll's  wardrobe  of  the  donor's  mother,  when  a 
little  girl. 

UMBRELLA — 25  inches.     Brown  silk  with  border;    silver  ferrule  chased, 
ivory  tips,  elaborately  carved  ivory  handle,  bamboo  stick. 
Presented  by  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Sara  T.  Kinney. 


GIFTS  AND  LOANS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE 
CHAPTERS  OF 

HARTFORD   COUNTY 

Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter,  Hartford pages  58,  59,  65,  68 

Abigail  Phelps  Chapter,  Simsbury pages  58,  68 

Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter,  Bristol pages  58,  68,  69 

Esther  Stanley  Chapter,  New  Britain pages  58,  69 

Abigail  Wolcott  Ellsworth  Chapter,  Windsor pages  58,  69,  71 

Emma  Hart  Willard  Chapter,  Berlin page  58 

Orford  Parish  Chapter,  South  Manchester pages  58,  59,  71,  72 

Sibbil  Dwight  Kent  Chapter,  Suffield pages  58,  72 

Hannah  Woodruff  Chapter,  Southington pages  58,  62,  72,  73 

Martha  Pitkin  Wolcott  Chapter,  East  Hartford,  and  South  Windsor, 

pages  58,  73 

Phoebe  Humphrey  Chapter,  Collinsville page  58 

Sarah  Whitman  Hooker  Chapter,  West  Hartford page  58 


RUTH  WYLLYS  CHAPTER. 

SIDEBOARD — Hepplewhite.  3  feet  3  inches  high;  5  feet  10  inches  long. 
Light  mahogany,  inlaid  with  satin  wood  in  fans  and  lines;  serpentine 
front;  double-door  cupboard  in  centre  between  two  deep  drawers; 
over  all  four  shallow  drawers ;  slender,  tapering  legs,  inlaid ;  flat 
polished  top ;  original  oval  pressed  brasses  with  bail  handles.  Brought 
directly  to  the  Homestead  without  necessity  for  repair  or  restoration, 
from  the  house  in  Farmington  where  it  had  stood  for  over  one  hundred 
years. 

Presented  by  Ruth  Wyllys  Chapter. 

SERVING  TABLE — Maple  throughout.  2  feet  7  inches  high,  top  2  feet  n 
inches  x  i  foot  n  inches.  Small  willow  brasses  mark  three  false 
drawers,  which  are  outlined  with  a  moulding  as  are  the  double  curves 
of  the  lower  edge  having  two  drops ;  cabriole  legs,  hoof  feet.  Once 
owned  by  Mrs.  David  (Jemima  Leavitt)  Ellsworth,  who  married 
Captain  Ebenezer  Grant  of  East  Windsor  for  her  second  husband. 
She  died  i  February,  1790,  in  the  fine  old  Grant  Homestead,  whither 
her  son,  Oliver  Ellsworth,  frequently  went,  over  the  ferry,  which  still 
retains  its  primitive  methods. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Holcombe. 

CHAIR — Chippendale.    Mahogany;  square  frame,  traceried  splat;  straight 
grooved   legs ;     four   underbraces,    at   sides,   back,    and   near    front ; 
upholstered  in  Du  Barry  rose  brocade. 
Presented  by  Miss  Jane  Tuttle. 

CHAIR — Sheraton.  Mahogany;  open-work  slat-back;  round  fluted  front 
legs,  plain  curved  back  ones ;  no  underbraces ;  upholstered  in  tapestry. 

Presented  by  Mr.  Samuel  J.  Tuttle  and  daughter,  Miss  Alice  Tuttle. 

WRITING  CHAIR — Windsor.  Early  part  of  Nineteenth  Century.  Pine 
painted  black;  two  drawers,  one  in  arm  and  one  under  seat.  For- 
merly owned  by  the  Reverend  Thomas  Robbins,  D.D.  (1777-1856). 
Nineteen  of  the  forty-six  years  of  Dr.  Robbins'  ministry,  1808-1827, 
were  spent  in  connection  with  the  South  parish,  East  Windsor,  now 
South  Windsor.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Connecticut 
Historical  Society  and  its  first  and  longtime  librarian,  whose  portrait 
adorns  its  walls  and  whose  great  library  enriches  its  shelves. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Albert  Hastings  Pitkin. 

AUTOGRAPH  LETTER — Original.  3  pages  quarto.  Oliver  Ellsworth, 
while  member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  to  his  friend  and  fellow- 
townsman,  the  Reverend  Theodore  Hinsdale  of  Windsor,  Connecticut. 
Signed  and  franked  "Free  O.  Ellsworth." 


66  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

Philad.a 

Jany  26  1779 
Revd  &  dear  Sir 

Your  kind  letter  of  the  29  dec.1  I  have  reed,  &  sincerely  thank 
you  for. 

I  am  waiting,  Sir,  as  well  as  you,  tho'  perhaps  with  less  concern  & 
more  doubt,  to  see  how  the  great  events  now  taking  place  in  the  world 
will  affect  the  moral  State  of  it.  Whatever  light  you  may  obtain  in 
this  matter  from  prophecies,  I  confess  I  have  none  from  Congress  nor 
the  book  of  nature.  Of  this  only  I  am  satisfied,  that  whatever  be  the 
design  of  Providence  in  this  respect,  the  powers  at  war  have  very  little 
design  about  it  &  terminate  their  views  with  wealth  &  empire,  leaving 
religion  pretty  much  out  of  the  question. 

With  regard  to  the  court  of  France,  in  particular,  if  I  am  rightly 
informed,  they  have  themselves  no  religion  at  all;  &  care  much  less 
than  in  former  reigns,  what  or  whether  any  the  nation  has.  They  are 
shifting  their  policy  from  superstition  to  dessipation.  Paris,  a  place  not 
of  business  but  enjoyment,  is  made  the  gayest  city  in  the  world  &  fur- 
nished with  every  amusement  and  gratification  in  the  compass  of  nature, 
to  draw  together  &  drain  &•  drain*  there  men  that  from  having  property 
&  time  for  brooding,  might  be  dangerous  in  the  country.  A  standing 
army  does  for  the  rest,  &  they  have  less  &  less  occasion  for  popery. 
Nor  do  I  apprehend  there  is  any  more  danger  of  its  visiting  us*  spread- 
ing in  this  Country  since  the  alliance  than  before.  I  wish  I  could  add 
the  same  of  Deism,  which  besides  the  advantage  of  high  fashion,  has 
its  way  paved  by  a  dissolution  of  manners  too  incident  to  a  state  of 
war. — But  it  is  sufficient,  dear  Sir,  that  God  governs  the  world,  &  that 
his  purposes  of  Grace  will  be  accomplished. — 

For  my  thots.  on  the  present  state  of  our  political  affairs,  especially  on 
the  state  of  our  paper  currency,  I  will  refer  you  to  a  short  piece  you 
have  seen  or  will  see  in  Hartford  paper  under  the  signature  of 
observator. 

How  Mr.  Deans  address,  after  which  you  enquire,  has  been  rec.d  by 
the  publick  I  can  give  but  little  acct. — but  sure  I  am  it  was  unnecessary 
&  injudicious;  &  I  believe  he  joins  with  me  in  wishing  it  had  never 
made  its  appearance. 

In  the  personal  interviews  he  had  with  Congress  soon  after  his 
arrival  from  france,  he  had  full  opportunity  to  have  criminated  any  of 
their  servants  if  had  thot  there  was  occasion  for  it;  nor  has  he  at  any 
time  been  precluded  from  doing  it,  or  laying  before  Congress  in  writing 
any  information  he  pleased  on  any  subject  whatever.  It  might  have  been 
expected  perhaps  that  Congress  should  not  so  long  have  delayed  a  close 
of  his  examination  &  expressing  their  sense  of  his  conduct  abroad ;  & 
it  has  been  truly  unfortunate  that  any  circumstances  have  concurred 
to  render  that  delay  necessary. — Mr.  Dean  has  now  been  fully  heard 
personally  before  Congress,  pursuant  to  their  resolution  passed  &  which 
he  was  made  acquainted  with,  someday,  before  his  publication,  for  a 
full  enquiry  into  the  State  &  negociation  of  their  foreign  affairs, — 
*  The  words  in  italics  are  erased  in  the  original. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  67 

His  attention  to  the  business  he  was  sent  upon  &  skill  &  success  in 
the  execution  of  it  are  very  apparent;  &  I  will  not  say  but  every  part 
of  his  conduct  abroad  is  deserving  of  &  will  finally  obtain  the  appro- 
bation of  Congress  and  the  publick. 

I  rejoice  to  hear  that  your  &  my  father's  family  as  well  [as]  people 
in  general  in  your  quarter,  are  favoured  with  so  great  a  blessing  as 
health,  which  I  pray  may  be  continued  with  the  addition  of  all  other 
blessings. 

You  will  please  to  make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Hinsdale,  &  believe 
me  to  be 

Rev.d  &  dear  Sir, 

with  much  respect  &  esteem 

your  obe.d,  humble  Serv. 

Oliv  Ellsworth 

The  Rev.d  Theod.  Hinsdale. 

Presented    by    the    great-granddaughter    of    Mr.    Hinsdale,    Mrs.    Duncan    B. 
(Mary  Bartlett)  Macdonald. 

TRAY  CANDLESTICK,  SNUFFERS  AND  EXTINGUISHER — Brass. 

Presented  by  Miss  Ellen  M.  Case. 
CHIMNEY  JAMB-HOOKS — Brass. 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  Francis. 

SNUFFERS,  TRAY  AND  EXTINGUISHER — Japanned. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Frederick  A.  Francis. 
FRUIT  DISH — Flowing  blue.     Mark:    "Pellew.     E.  Challinor." 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Edmund  Janes  Cleveland. 

MORTAR  AND  PESTLE — Wood,  of  unusual  size,  for  pounding  corn.  For 
over  one  hundred  years  in  the  possession  of  a  family  in  East  Haddam, 
Connecticut,  and  is  doubtless  much  older. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Daniel  Waldo  (Ellen  Tuttle)  Johnson. 

PASTEL — Done  in  1815,  while  a  schoolgirl  of  fifteen,  in  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, by  the  donor's  aunt,  Esther  Rowe  Tuttle,  whose  name  with 
the  subject:  "Eruption  of  Vesuvius  in  1794,"  appears  in  gold  letters  on 
the  black  mat. 

Presented  by  Miss  Jane  Tuttle. 

SET  OF  THREE  PRINTS — "By  J.  H."  Frames  gilded  copper  applied  to 
wood;  black  and  gold  mats, 

FAITH,  with  cross  and  chalice,  an  open  Bible  near,  and  Peter  walk- 
ing upon  the  water  in  obedience  to  his  Lord's  command. 

HOPE,  undismayed  by  the  storm  which  rages  around  her,  stands 
calmly  with  an  anchor  by  her  side. 

CHARITY  is  seated  under  a  tree  with  three  little  ones  clinging  to 
her. 

Formerly  owned  by  Mrs.  David   (Susanna  Pratt)   Goodwin,  1769- 

1855- 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Frederick  A.  Francis. 


68  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

FACSIMILE  OF  DEATH  WARRANT  OF  CHARLES  I. — Framed. 
Presented  by  Miss  Emma  Gleason  Allen. 

PIECE  OF  WOOD  FROM  THE  CHARTER  OAK. 

Presented  by  Miss  Ada  M.  Woodford. 

"GRANDCHILD"  OF  THE  CHARTER  OAK — Grown  in  the  Holcombe  gardens. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Holcombe. 

ABIGAIL  PHELPS  CHAPTER. 

PRESS  CUPBOARD — 1698.  English  oak.  This  piece  is  divided  into  three 
sections.  The  upper  one  is  unenclosed  and  overhung  by  a  carved 
cornice,  the  top  being  2  yards  7  inches  from  the  ground  in  front, 
supported  at  the  corners  by  two  turned  balusters  and  sloping  toward 
the  back,  which  is  carved.  A  carved  cornice  with  large  turned  drops 
at  the  front  corners  overhangs  the  middle  section,  beneath  which 
cornice  a  row  of  carving  bears  in  the  centre  the  date  and  initials 
"R  1698  M."  This  section  is  undivided  within,  but  is  enclosed  by 
two  doors  separated  by  a  panel,  all  elaborately  carved.  Below  this 
is  another  band  of  carving.  The  third  and  lowest  section  is  wider 
and  deeper  and  is  also  undivided  within.  The  two  doors  and 
separating  panels  have  each  two  carved  designs.  Most  of  the  carving 
has  a  stippled  background  and  is  flat.  The  handles  of  the  doors  are 
small  turned  wooden  knobs;  the  feet  are  continuations  of  the  stiles. 
The  width  of  the  piece  is  i  yard  21  inches,  and  its  greatest  depth 
22J4  inches.  The  cupboard  was  shown  in  the  Connecticut  Building 
at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  St.  Louis,  1904. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Antoinette  Eno  Wood  for  the  Abigail  Phelps  Chapter. 

FOOT  STOVE. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  David  Childs  Crafts. 

PESTLE  AND  MORTAR — Wood. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  David  Childs  Crafts. 

LANTERN. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  David  Childs  Crafts. 

CANDLE  SCONCE — Tin. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  David  Childs  Crafts. 

TOASTER — Iron.    To  stand  before  the  open  fire. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  David  Childs  Crafts. 

KATHERINE  GAYLORD  CHAPTER. 

ESCRITOIRE — Virginia  walnut,  inlaid  with  lines  of  holly,  I  yard  9  inches 
high.  Four  deep  drawers  around  which  is  a  moulding;  bracket  feet; 
slant  top  lets  down  upon  pulls ;  six  pigeonholes,  ten  small  drawers 
and  cupboard  within;  oval  pressed  brass  handles.  Brought  from 
the  South. 

Presented  by  Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  69 

LOOKING-GLASS — I  yard  5  inches  x  i8lA  inches.  Gilt  frame.  In  the 
upper  panel,  picture  of  Independence  Hall  in  gilt  on  blue  ground. 

Presented  by  Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter. 

CANDLESTICKS,  TRAY  AND  SNUFFERS — Sheffield  plate. 

Presented  by  Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter. 

PLATE — Davenport,  1806.  White  with  decorations  in  light  blue;  border 
of  panels  with  roses  in  alternate  ones ;  ornate  castle  in  center.  Marks : 
"Davenport,"  a  circlet  of  ribbon  enclosing  the  words  "Friburg"  and 
"Ironstone,"  surmounted  by  royal  crown;  also  trefoil,  all  in  blue 
print.  A  piece  of  the  wedding  china  of  the  donor's  great-aunt, 
daughter  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  It  was  considered  much  choicer 
in  color  and  finish  than  the  old  blue  Staffordshire  at  the  time. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Burdette  A.  Peck. 

CENTERPIECE — Embroidered  on  white  linen;  modern  work  on  ancient 
lines,  the  design,  the  dyeing  of  the  threads  (with  vegetable  dyes)  and  the 
execution  of  the  embroidery  being  entirely  the  donor's  work. 

Presented  by  Miss  Alice  M.  Bartholomew. 

CHAIR — Windsor.  "Fan-back,"  stained  cherry.  Owned  by  Katherine  Gay- 
lord,  and  used  by  her  at  Burlington,  Connecticut,  between  1800-1840. 
Presented  to  the  Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter  by  her  descendant, 
Edward  Phelps  Spencer. 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  Katherine  Gaylord  Chapter. 

ESTHER  STANLEY  CHAPTER. 

TEAPOT — Britannia,  beautifully  chased,  stands  on  four  feet;  handle 
restored.  Mark:  "Dixon  and  Son  5."  Said  to  have  been  the  prop- 
erty of  Mrs.  Daniel  (Faith-Trumbull)  Wadsworth,  born  in  1769,  eld- 
est daughter  of  the  second  Governor  Trumbull. 

Presented    as    the    most   valued    specimen    from    her   personal    collection,    by 
Mrs.  William  F.  Brooks. 

ABIGAIL  WOLCOTT  ELLSWORTH  CHAPTER. 

CHAIR — Early  Nineteenth  Century.  Japanned  frame,  black  and  gold, 
rush  seat. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Thomas  W.  Loomis. 

CUP  AND  SAUCER — Newhall.  White,  with  gilt  lines,  design  printed  in 
black;  subject,  a  Swiss  chalet  on  the  cup,  and  on  the  saucer  a  chapel 
in  the  Alps.  Said  to  have  been  originally  from  the  Ellsworth 
Homestead. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Thomas  W.  Loomis. 


70  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

PLATE — Probably  Chinese,  possibly  Delft.  About  9  inches  in  diameter; 
octagonal  in  shape;  heavy  earthenware;  blue-white  ground,  pattern 
in  medium  shade  gray-blue ;  design,  a  basket  of  flowers,  four  sprays 
on  the  rim,  on  the  back  of  rim,  light  scrolls.  Inherited  by  the  donor 
from  her  grandfather,  Levi  Hayden  (1773-1839),  of  Windsor,  who 
purchased  it  at  a  sale  of  the  effects  of  a  neighbor,  named  Winslow, 
who  died  in  1805.  Mr.  Winslow  was  born  about  1726,  and  belonged 
to  the  Plymouth  family  of  that  name,  from  whom  Mr.  Hayden  under- 
stood he  inherited  the  plate.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathaniel  Hayden,  of 
Windsor,  have  one  of  the  same  set 
Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

BOWL — Staffordshire.     2>l/4  inches  in  diameter;    blue  and  white,  varia- 
tion of  the  willow  pattern.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Levi  Hayden  in  1800. 
Presented  by  her  granddaughter,  Mist  Mary  E.  Pointer. 

CHILD'S  SERVICE — Staffordshire.  Consisting  of  five  small  pieces,  all  of 
which  are  perfect,  a  sugar  bowl  with  cover,  creamer,  and  three  little 
cups  with  handles,  the  decorations  being  exact  specimens  in  miniature 
of  the  "old  blue."  The  set  was  brought  from  England  in  1819  to 
Sarah  Hayden  (Mrs.  John  N.  Power). 

Presented  by  her  daughter,  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

TODDY  GLASS  AND  STICK — The  glass  is  7^2  inches  high  and  5%  in  diam- 
eter at  the  top.     Engraved.     Owned  by  Levi  Hayden.     (1800.) 
Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

SALTCELLAR — Pewter.     Quality  mark  the  crowned  X. 
Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

MUG — Pewter.     6  inches  high,  unmarked. 
Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

BASKET — Bought  of  a  squaw,  a  member  of  the  last  tribe  of  Indians 
living  in  Windsor,  whose  home  was  in  the  woods  opposite  the  Hayden 
Homestead. 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

PAIR  OF  GLOVES — These  diminutive  gloves  were  made  about  the  year 
1798,  by  a  lady  living  in  Manchester,  Vermont.  They  are  white  kid, 
yellow  with  age,  exquisitely  stitched,  with  corded  turn-over  cuffs. 
Christening  gloves.  (?) 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Power. 

TABLE — Hepplewhite.     Mahogany   inlaid   with   various   woods,   circular 
folding  top;    square,  slender,  tapering  legs. 
Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Horace  H.  Ellsworth. 

ROCKER — Once  the  property  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier  from  Windsor. 
Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Horace  H.  Ellsworth. 

SET  OF  SEVEN  CHAIRS — Windsor.     Painted  black,  with  orange  lines. 
Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Horace  H.  Ellsworth. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  71 

COMMUNION  CUP — Pewter.  Tankard  shape  with  cover.  Mark:  "G.  C. 
L."  "Belonged  to  the  Church  of  Lebanon,  Connecticut." 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Horace  H.  Ellsworth. 

WASHBOWL  AND  PITCHER — Blue  and  white.     Mark  "Goodfellow." 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Horace  H.  Ellsworth. 

ANDIRONS — Brass.  From  a  house  built  shortly  after  the  Revolutionary 
War  by  Captain  Martin  Denslow,  one  of  the  Lexington  Alarm  men, 
who  served  to  the  end  of  the  war,  and  received  the  Order  of  the 
Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  his  great-granddaughter,  Miss  Mary  Louise  Webb. 

LAMP — Brass.    From  the  home  of  Captain  Martin  Denslow. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  Miss  Mary  Louise  Webb. 

CANDLESTICKS — Brass.  From  the  home  of  General  Samuel  Safferd  of 
Bennington,  Vermont,  who  was  Lieutenant  Colonel  in  the  Battle  of 
Bennington,  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  Revolution. 

Loaned  for  the  day  by  his  great-granddaughter,  AftM  Mary  Louise  Webb. 

ORFORD  PARISH  CHAPTER. 

All  of  the  following  gifts  are  made  in  the  name  of  the  Chapter. 

CHAIR — Banister  back,  rush  bottom,  with  arms,  stained  brown. 

CHAIR — Frame  japanned,  gold  on  cream  ground,  rush  seat 

CHAIR — Windsor.  Tall  slender  back,  curved  top,  painted  green.  All 
the  chairs  had  been  for  years  in  an  old  house  belonging  to  Martin 
Bidwell,  who  was  born  in  Orford  Parish,  4  August,  1794. 

CANDLESTICKS,  TRAY  AND  SNUFFERS — Brass. 

CANDLESTICKS — Sheffield  plate.  Once  owned  by  Benjamin  Lyman  of 
Manchester  Green  (formerly  Orford  Parish),  born  8  May,  1780. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  Benjamin  (Mary  Millard)  Lyman  responded 
from  Coventry  to  the  Lexington  Alarm,  and  her  maternal  grand- 
father, Captain  Ozias  Bissell,  of  Bolton  (Vernon),  his  sons  and  grand- 
sons, gave  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  of  military  service  to  their 
country. 

FOOT- STOVE — From  the  Benjamin  Lyman  estate. 

TEAPOT — Tall,  cream  ware,  decoration  in  light  blue  in  classical  design. 

SUGAR  BOWL — Staffordshire.  White,  decoration  printed  in  black.  Sub- 
ject: a  sower  with  harrow.  Only  mark  an  impressed  "T." 

SUGAR  BOWL — White,  decorations  green  and  blue  sprigs. 

CUP  AND  SAUCER — White,  polychrome  decorations,  a  bird  and  flowers, 
gilt  band  within. 

CUP  AND  SAUCER — NewhalL  White,  decoration  printed  in  mauve.  Sub- 
ject :  a  child  dressing  her  doll  while  her  mother  sews  near  by.  Border 
of  lines  painted  in  blue. 

PLATE — 6  inches  in  diameter,  white,  light  blue  decoration.  Mark:  "J. 
Wedgwood,"  "Columbia,"  "Ironstone,"  registered. 

PLATE — Staffordshire.    Dark  blue  and  white.    No  mark. 


72  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

PLATE — Adams.     Pink  and  white.     Subject:     a  Highlander  with  gun, 

bugle,  dog  and  dead  stag  in  centre,  surrounded  by  conventional  border ; 

on  the  rim  vignettes  of  Highland  scenes.    Marks :    "Adams"  impressed, 

and  "Caledonia"  in  pink  print. 
PLATE — White,  decoration  light  blue.     Marks :    "Damascus"  and  "H.  & 

Co." 
The  china  all  came  from  old  Connecticut  families. 

SIBBIL  DWIGHT  KENT  CHAPTER. 

CARD  TABLE — Pembroke.     Mahogany  inlaid  with  satinwood.     Oval  top 
I  yard  x  30  inches ;    two  semi-circular  drop  leaves ;    one  drawer  with 
small  brass  knobs,  which  are  also  on  the  other  side  for  false  drawer; 
square,  tapering  legs  with  lines  of  inlay,  brass  tips. 
Presented  by  Sibbil  Dwight  Kent  Chapter. 

CHAIR — Chippendale.  Virginia  walnut;  square  back,  traceried  splat; 
claw-and-ball  feet;  no  crossovers;  upholstered  in  tapestry. 

Presented  by  Sibbil  Dwight  Kent  Chapter. 

CHAIRS — (Two.)     White  frame,  chintz  cushions. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Hattie  Beach  Austin  Jones. 

TEA  TABLE — ("Dumb  waiter,"  "Runaround")   English,  Eighteenth  Cen- 
tury.   Mahogany;   six  circular  graduated  shelves. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Philip  Wads-worth. 

RAG  RUG — 70  x  35  inches. 

Presented  by  Miss  Isabella  Emily  Austin. 

PLATTER — Pewter.     13%  inches  in  diameter.     Mark  illegible. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Hattie  Beach  Austin  Jones. 

REEL — For  woolen  yarn.  The  yarn  on  this  reel  is  from  "wool  grown 
on  the  sheep  of  James  Austin  of  Suffield,  Connecticut;  carded  into 
rolls  by  his  wife,  Aurelia  Gregory  Austin;  spun  and  twisted  for  the 
next  generation;  and  given  by  the  granddaughters," 

Mrs.  Hattie  Beach  (Austin)  Jones  and  Miss  Isabella  Emily  Austin. 

BAG — About  one  hundred  years  old;    of  blue  beads  in  different  shades. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Charles  J.  Roadstrand. 

COUNTERPANE — Homespun  wool,  red  and  white.  Woven  by  Hannah 
Wilmarth  (Mrs.  John  Wells),  daughter  of  Shubael  Wilmarth,  an 
officer  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  her  granddaughter,  Mrs.  John  R.  Montgomery. 

HANNAH  WOODRUFF  CHAPTER. 

ART  RUG — "Hit-or-miss"  design.  10  x  8^2  feet.  Woven  for  library 
floor. 

Presented  by  Hannah   Woodruff  Chapter. 

PORTIERES — (Two.)     Woven  of  silk  clippings. 
Presented  by  Hannah  Woodruff  Chapter. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  73 

PHOTOGRAPH — Framed,  of  scene  from  Revolutionary  play  given  by  the 
Chapter. 

Presented  by  Hannah  Woodruff  Chapter. 

PHOTOGRAPHS — Framed  together,  of  the  seven  "Real  Daughters"  of  the 
Chapter.  Nancy  (Root)  Potter,  1801-1899;  Jennette  (Carter)  Hig- 
gins,  1803-1898;  Betsey  (Payne)  Ives,  1803-1898;  Emma  (Dutton) 
Quill,  1808-1899;  Harriet  (Reid)  Crissey,  1809-1904;  Emily  (Par- 
mele)  Collins,  1814;  Lois  (Johnson)  Upson,  1817-1900. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

"AUTHOR'S  GROUP." 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

RAG  RUGS — (Two)  i  yard  24  inches  x  30  inches,  and  I  yard  square. 
Shaded  blue  and  white. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

LONG  TONGS — Brass. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

WAFFLE  IRONS — With  long-handle,  to  use  with  open  fire. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

BOTTLE — Similar  to  "Schnapps"  bottle.  Possibly  made  at  the  Pitkin 
Glass  Works,  established  in  Orford  Parish,  now  Manchester,  in  1783. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

CAP  BASKET — 1800. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

VASE. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

ARM  CHAIR — Large;  banister  back;  frame  stained  brown;  splint 
bottom. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

CHAIR — First  Empire,  mahogany. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Franklin  B.  Bradley. 

CHAIRS — (Two)   First  Empire,  mahogany. 
Presented  by  Miss  Edna  L.  Woodruff. 

TABLE — 1830.  Mahogany,  two  drop  leaves;  top  when  extended  mea- 
sures i  yard  20  inches  x  i  yard  6  inches;  base  measures  32  x  20 
inches,  the  heavy  stem  leg  branching  into  four  supports,  which  curve 
under. 

Loaned  indefinitely  by  Mrs.  Augustine  M.  Lewis  and  sister,  Miss  Alice  H. 
Tuttle. 

MARTHA  PITKIN  WOLCOTT  CHAPTER. 

ANDIRONS — Brass,  from  the  old  Grant  Homestead,  East  Windsor. 
Presented  by  Miss  Maud  M.  Grant  (Mrs.  Thomas  S.  Howarth). 


GIFTS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE  CHAPTERS  OF 
NEW  HAVEN  COUNTY 


Melicent  Porter  Chapter,  Waterbury pages  58,  75 

Ruth  Hart  Chapter,  Meriden pages  58,  75 

Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter,  New  Haven,... pages  58,  59,  61,  62,  75,  94 

Sarah  Riggs  Humphreys  Chapter,  Derby pages  58,  76 

Sarah  Ludlow  Chapter,  Seymour pages  58,  59,  76 

Elizabeth  Clarke  Hull  Chapter,  Ansonia pages  58,  76 

Susan  Carrington  Clarke  Chapter,  Meriden pages  58,  76 

Freelove  Baldwin  Stow  Chapter,  Milford pages  58,  76,  77 


MELICENT  PORTER  CHAPTER. 

CHAIR — Windsor.  Early  Nineteenth  Century.  Stained  mahogany;  tall, 
narrow  back,  bow  top.  Once  owned  by  Hannah  Baldwin,  niece  of 
Melicent  Porter. 

Presented  by  Miss  Ida  M.  Lewis. 

THE  LIFE  OF  OLIVER  ELLSWORTH — William  Garrott  Brown.  The  Mac- 
millan  Company.  1905. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Stephen  W.  Kellogg. 

RUTH  HART  CHAPTER. 

BEDSPREAD — White  cotton,  elaborately  filled  and  quilted;  in  the  donor's 
family  for  ninety  years. 

Presented  by  Miss  Hannah  K.  Peck,  Chapter  Regent. 

TABLE  MAT — Embroidered. 

Presented  by  Miss  Hannah  K.  Peck. 

INKSTAND — Silver,  double  well.  Engraved,  "Presented  by  the  Inter- 
national Silver  Co.,  Meriden,  Ct,  to  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution."  Received  through  Miss  Hannah  K.  Peck. 

MARY   CLAP  WOOSTER  CHAPTER. 

LOOKING-GLASS — 1810-1825.  I  yard  20  inches  x  28  inches,  double  light. 
Gilt  frame,  double  pillars  with  capitals,  surmounted  by  ornate  cornice 
under  which  are  gilt  balls. 

Presented  by  Mary  Clap  Woosier  Chapter. 

CANDLESTICKS,  SNUFFERS  AND  TRAY — Sheffield  plate. 

Presented  by  Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter. 

YE  WOMEN'S  SINGING  BOOK. 

Presented  by  Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter. 

VISITORS'  REGISTER — Bound  in  blue  crushed  levant,  bearing  the  insignia 
of  the  National  Society  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  William  H.  Moseley. 

SOFA   PILLOW — Blue  and  white,  embroidered  with  the  insignia  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Presented  by  Miss  Harriet  M.  E.  Law. 

For  gifts  of  the  State  Regent,  a  member  of  this  Chapter,  see  pages 
60-62. 

For  gifts  of  Mrs.  Charles  W.  Pickett,  a  member  of  this  Chapter,  see 
page  94. 


76  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

SARAH  RIGGS  HUMPHREYS  CHAPTER. 

CHAIR — Windsor.  Latter  half  Eighteenth  Century.  Rocker  with  arms. 
Hickory  stained  mahogany. 

Presented  by  Sarah  Riggs  Humphreys  Chapter. 

CHAIR — Windsor  with  arms.  Latter  half  Eighteenth  Century.  Hickory 
stained  mahogany. 

Presented  by  Sarah  Riggs  Humphreys  Chapter. 

SARAH  LUDLOW  CHAPTER. 

CHAIR — Middle  of  Eighteenth  Century.     Dutch-Spanish.     Narrow,  tall 
back,  unpierced  splat;    rush  seat;    turned  rails  and  legs. 
Presented  by  Sarah  Ludlow  Chapter. 

ELIZABETH  CLARKE  HULL  CHAPTER. 

HALL  CLOCK— Old  Irish.  Robert  Wells.  Ballinahinch.  7%  feet  high. 
Original  case,  San  Domingo  mahogany,  inlaid  with  lines  of  satin- 
wood  and  medallions  of  marquetry;  further  ornamented  with  carving 
and  brass  rosettes;  broken-arch  top,  surmounted  by  eagle  with  wings 
spread, — a  later  addition;  fluted  columns;  bracket  feet. 

Face  has  brass  cherub  spandrels  and  round  top.  Centre  dial  of 
brass  etched,  with  second  hand  and  calendar,  surrounded  by  outer 
band  silvered,  bearing  the  hours  in  Roman  and  the  minutes  in 
Arabic  numerals.  The  maker's  name  is  engraved  in  script  as  follows: 
between  VII  and  VI  "Robt.";  between  VI  and  V  "Wells  12."  In 
the  outer  numerals,  on  either  side  of  30 — the  half-hour  point — is 
printed  "BALLINA  30  HINCH."  Eight-day  movement  and  brass 
works. 

Presented  by  Elizabeth  Clarke  Hull  Chapter. 

SUSAN  CARRINGTON  CLARKE  CHAPTER. 

ESCRITOIRE  WITH  BOOKCASE  TOP — ^  feet  4  inches  high  x  3  feet  ^  inches 
wide.  Mahogany,  inlaid  with  lines  of  satinwood.  Glass  and  lattice 
face  to  bookcase,  which  has  four  shelves  and  flat  top.  Desk  has 
four  large  drawers  and  slant  top  which  opens  upon  pulls,  and 
shows  eight  small  drawers  and  four  pigeon-holes;  claw-and-ball 
feet;  oval  pressed  brass  handles. 

Presented  by  Susan  Carrington  Clarke  Chapter. 

FREELOVE  BALDWIN   STOW   CHAPTER. 

ARM    CHAIRS — Two.     "Fancy    chairs."     Frames    painted   yellow    with 
black  lines ;    ball  and  spindle  backs ;    rush  bottoms.     Their  history 
is  known  for  over  one  hundred  years. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Hepburn  Smith. 


THE  ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD  77 

CHAIR — Black  frame,  square  back  with  spindles ;  rush  bottom.  A  family 
piece. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Hepburn  Smith. 

SPINNING  WHEEL  AND  FLAX — This  wheel  was  bought  by  the  donor 
thirty  years  ago  from  a  family  in  whose  possession  it  had  long  been, 
and  the  flax  was  given  to  her  from  the  farm  where  it  was  grown 
years  before. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Hepburn  Smith. 


GIFTS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE  CHAPTERS  OF 
NEW  LONDON  COUNTY 


Lucretia  Shaw  Chapter,  New  London page  58 

Fanny  Ledyard  Chapter,  Mystic pages  58,  79 

Anna  Warner  Bailey  Chapter,  Groton  and  Stonington pages  58,  79 

Faith  Trumbull  Chapter,  Norwich pages  58,  79 

Anne  Brewster  Fanning  Chapter,  Jewett  City page  58 


DINING   ROOM. 


BREAKFAST  ROOM. 


FANNY  LEDYARD  CHAPTER. 

RAG  CARPET — 4^  x  4  yards.  "Hit-or-miss"  pattern.  Woven  expressly 
for  the  dining-room  of  the  Ellsworth  Homestead  on  a  loom  nearly 
one  hundred  years  old. 

Made  and  presented  by  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  (Davis)  Burrows,  76  years  old,  and 
her  daughters,  Mrs.  Emma  Jane  (Burrows)  Palmer  and  Miss  Mary  Ella 
Burrows. 

RAG  CARPET  RUG — Red,  white  and  blue.  Made  for  the  Homestead  from 
a  worn  old  flag. 

Designed,  made,  and  presented  by  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  Burrows. 

PHOTOGRAPH — Framed.  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  (Davis)  Burrows  weaving 
rug  on  the  loom  made  in  1811  for  her  mother,  Desire  (Brown)  Davis. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Burrows  and  daughters. 

ANNA  WARNER  BAILEY  CHAPTER. 

COMBINATION  WRITING  DESK  AND  WORK  TABLE — About  1800.  Top 
22  x  1 6  inches.  Dark  mahogany.  Two  real  drawers  and  one  false; 
top  lifts  for  desk  with  compartments  at  one  side;  stem  leg  branch- 
ing into  three  grooved  curves  with  gold  bronze  claws;  brass  willow 
handles  and  plain  escutcheons.  Purchased  many  years  ago  by  Mrs. 
Slocomb  in  Washington,  presumably  from  Virginia. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Cuthbert  H.  Slocomb  and  Members  of  the  Anna  Warner 
Bailey  Chapter. 

PLATTER — Pewter.  15  inches  in  diameter;  no  mark.  From  the  Otis 
family,  New  London,  1800. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Henry  H.  Stoddard. 

AUTOGRAPH  QUILT — Composed  of  blocks  contributed  by  the  different 
chapters  of  the  state,  each  containing  the  autographs  of  members, 
some  as  many  as  seventy-nine ;  the  blocks  put  together  and  finished  by 
the  donors,  who  planned  the  work.  The  money  earned  through  the 
quilt — about  eighty  dollars,  each  "signer"  paying  a  certain  sum — was 
donated  to  the  Groton  Memorial  Annex  Fund. 

Presented  to  the  Homestead  by  the  Members  from  Poquonoc  Bridge,  of  the 
Anna  Warner  Bailey  Chapter. 

FAITH  TRUMBULL  CHAPTER. 

FRAMED  PRINT  of  the  birthplace  and  homestead — now  over  two  hun- 
dred years  old — in  North  Preston,  now  Griswold,  Connecticut,  of 
Brigadier  General  John  Tyler  (1721-1804),  whose  military  service, 
beginning  for  the  colonies  in  1752,  lasted  until  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  including  many  important  engagements. 

Presented  by  his  great-granddaughter,  Mrs.  Thurston  B.  (Mary  Tyler) 
Barber. 


8o  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

CANDLESTICK— Steel ;  mark:    "Shaw." 

Presented  by  Misses  Ellen  and  Lucy  Geer. 

WRITING  CHAIR— Windsor.     Maple,  oak  and  pine;    "comb  back";  two 
drawers. 

Presented  by  Henry  L.  Hammond,  M.D. 

WASHSTAND— Square,  scroll-top,  brass  rosette  handle  to  drawer. 
Presented  by  Henry  L.  Hammond,  M.D. 

ANDIRONS — Iron,  small. 

Presented  by  Henry  L.  Hammond,  M.D. 

PEEL — Iron. 

Presented  by  Henry  L.  Hammond,  M.D. 

PEEL — Wood. 

Presented  by  Henry  L.  Hammond,  M.D. 


GIFTS  AND  LOANS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE 
CHAPTERS  OF 

FAIRFIELD   COUNTY 


Norwalk  Chapter,  Norwalk pages  58,  59 

Mary  Wooster  Chapter,  Danbury page  83 

Dorothy  Ripley  Chapter,  Southport page  83 

Mary  Silliman  Chapter,  Bridgeport pages  58,  83,  84 

Eunice  Dennie  Burr  Chapter,  Fairfield page  84 

Hannah  Benedict  Carter  Chapter,  New  Canaan pages  58,  84 

Stamford  Chapter,  Stamford page  58 

Putnam  Hill  Chapter,  Greenwich page  84 


MARY  WOOSTER  CHAPTER. 

CHAIR — Van  Rensselaer.     Oak,  ash  and  bird's-eye  maple;    rounded  top 
and   curved   arms,   unpierced   splat;     round   under   braces    side   and 
back,  slat  brace  in  front,  upholstered  in  brown  leather 
Presented  by  Mary  Wooster  Chapter. 

PHOTOGRAPH — The  house  in  Danbury  in  which  General  David  Wooster 
died,  2  May,  1777.  Handmade  nails  from  the  house  are  mounted  on 
the  frame. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  Tweedy. 

DOROTHY  RIPLEY  CHAPTER. 

DINING  TABLE — 1750.     Mahogany  top,  two   drop   leaves,   clef   corners, 
measures  when  extended  4  feet  by  4  feet  8  inches;    cabriole  legs — 
Virginia  walnut,  claw-and-ball  feet. 
Presented  by  Dorothy  Ripley  Chapter. 

TABLE  SPREAD — Richardson's  Irish  linen,  hemstitched  and  embroidered, 
with  padding  for  same.  Marked  "D.  A.  R.  1904,"  and  "Dorothy  Ripley 
Chapter,  Southport" 

Presented  by  Dorothy  Ripley  Chapter. 

TABLE  COVER — Deerfield,  blue  and  white,  fringed. 

Presented  by  Dorothy  Ripley  Chapter. 

MARY  SILLIMAN  CHAPTER. 

WORK  TABLE — First  Empire.     Two   drop  leaves;    top  measures  when 
extended  20  x  33^  inches;  two  drawers,  brass  bail  handles;  solid  stem 
leg  on  solid  base  resting  on  bulb  feet. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Morris  Beach  Beardsley. 

BELLOWS — Painted  wood  and  velvet  with  brass  nails  and  tube. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Emily  Warner  Brown. 

VASES — Pair.  Dutch,  enameled  earthenware;  decoration  in  polychrome 
and  gold  on  white  ground ;  semi-circular,  standing  5^  inches  high,  on 
three  gilded  balls;  body  painted  in  conventionalized  flowers,  deep 
blue  and  yellow  shaded  into  brown,  with  touch  of  green,  chocolate 
band  around  the  base;  back  rises  in  curve.  Top  removable  and 
pierced  with  five  small  holes  for  flower  stems,  also  three  large  open- 
ings fitted  with  bobeches,  presumably  for  candles.  .There  is  no 
potter's  mark  on  either,  save  figure  "3"  impressed  on  one.  These  vases 
were  an  heirloom  in  the  family  of  the  donor,  whose  mother,  Ann 


84  GIFTS    PRESENTED   TO 

Strong  Stirling,  daughter  of  David  and  Deborah  (Strong)  Stirling, 
inherited  them  with  a  portrait  in  uniform  of  her  father,  Joseph  Strong, 
who  enlisted  in  a  company  of  "Householders"  in  Stratfield  (Bridge- 
port), which  did  not  disband  until  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  "One 
hundred  and  fifty  years  old." 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  B.  (Annette  Stirling  Moore)  Russell. 

PETTICOAT — White  cotton,  quilted  and  tucked.     Made  when  cotton  was 
a  rarity,  by  Beulah  Lewis,  of  Monroe,  Connecticut,  born  in  1790,  died 
in  1816,  whose  grandfather,  Samuel  Lewis,  served  in  the  Revolution. 
Loaned  by  Mary  Silliman  Chapter. 

EUNICE  DENNIE  BURR  CHAPTER. 

DRESSING  TABLE — "Low-boy" — 1730.  Cherry  top  and  front.  Three 
drawers,  a  deep  one  on  either  side  of  a  centre  one,  which  is  made 
shallow  by  the  elaborate  double  curves  of  the  lower  edge;  cabriole 
legs  of  maple,  hoof  feet;  very  small  willow  brasses.  From  an  old 
Connecticut  house. 

Presented  by  Eunice  Dennie  Burr  Chapter. 

HANNAH  BENEDICT  CARTER  CHAPTER. 
ANDIRONS — Iron. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Lawrence  D.  Alexander. 

CUP — Porcelain,  polychrome  decoration,  rose  lustre  band  within  and 
without. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Lawrence  D.  Alexander. 

PUTNAM  HILL  CHAPTER. 
UNITED  STATES  FLAG — Bunting.    12  x  6  feet. 

Presented  by  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Henry  Herschel  Adams. 

ANDIRONS — Brass. 

Presented  by  Putnam  Hill  Chapter. 


Anne  Wood  Elderkin  Chapter,  Willimantic pages  58,  87 

Deborah  Avery  Putnam  Chapter,  Plainfield  and  Moosup page  87 

Elizabeth  Porter  Putnam  Chapter,  Putnam pages  58,  87,  88 

Sarah  Williams  Danielson  Chapter,  Killingly page  88 


ANNE  WOOD  ELDERKIN  CHAPTER. 

LIBRARY  TABLE — Tray  top  of  finest  light  mahogany,  41  inches  in  diam- 
eter, solid  raised  rim,  revolves  and  tips.  Stem,  apple-wood,  branch- 
ing into  three  legs,  carving  at  knees,  claw-and-ball  feet.  Formerly 
belonged  to  the  Honorable  Zephaniah  Swift,  "Secretary  of  a  Lega- 
tion to  France"  at  the  time  Oliver  Ellsworth  was  one  of  the  Envoys 
Extraordinary  that  made  the  Convention  of  1800  between  the  United 
States  and  that  country.  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Con- 
necticut 1815-1819. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Guilford  Smith. 

SHEETS  AND  PILLOW  CASES — Homespun  linen.  Woven  in  her  girlhood 
by  Betsey  Clapp  (Wright)  Preston,  granddaughter  of  Major  Earl 
Clapp,  promoted  for  his  bravery  at  the  Battle  of  Monmouth ;  daughter 
of  Captain  Nathan  Wright;  wife  of  Silas  Preston,  son  of  Deacon 
John  Preston,  Sergeant;  and  mother  of  the  donor. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Edwin  (Sarah  M.  Preston)  Bitgbee. 

RAG  CARPETING — Nine  yards. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Marcus  Monroe  Johnson. 

DEBORAH  AVERY  PUTNAM  CHAPTER. 
CANDLESTAND — Cherry.    Tripod  with  clef  corners. 

Presented  by  Deborah  Avery  Putnam  Chapter. 

CANDLESTICK — Brass. 

Presented  by  Deborah  Avery  Putnam  Chapter. 

ELIZABETH  PORTER  PUTNAM  CHAPTER. 

"THE  PLYMOUTH  RUG" — Containing  twenty-six  yards  of  carpeting,  blue 
and  white,  designed  for  the  "drawing-room  chamber."  By  solicita- 
tion and  sewing-bees  the  members  of  the  chapter  obtained  and  pre- 
pared the  rags,  which  are  woven  in  a  "hit-or-miss"  central  pattern  with 
a  deep  border. 

Presented  by  Elizabeth  Porter  Putnam  Chapter. 

"A  HOMESPUN  YARN  OF  A  PLYMOUTH  RUG" — Poem  in  booklet  form. 
By  Mrs.  Helen  Manning  Kent.  Illustrated  in  water-colors  by  Thomas 
J.  Thurber,  1905. 

CHOCOLATE  POT— Made  at  the  Foley  Works,  England,  for  the  Chapter. 
Wolf-den  decoration. 

Presented  by  Elizabeth  Porter  Putnam  Chapter. 


88  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

TABLECLOTH — White  linen,  spun  and  woven  by  Mrs.  Sarah  Sharpe,  grand- 
mother of  the  donor. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  George  E.  Shaw. 

COUNTERPANE — Homespun  wool,  light  brown  and  white. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  John  Addis  on  Porter. 

CLUB  TELEPHONE — Installed  and  provided  through  the  courtesy  of 

Mrs.  Mary  Bugbee  Medbury, 

The  gifts  of  Dr.  Henry  L.  Hammond  (page  80)  were  reported  also 
through  Mrs.  Medbury. 

SARAH  WILLIAMS  DANIELSON  CHAPTER. 
UNITED  STATES  FLAG — Bunting.    12  x  20  feet. 

Presented  by  Sarah  Williams  Danielson  Chapter. 


GIFTS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE  CHAPTERS  OF 
LITCHFIELD  COUNTY 

Roger  Sherman  Chapter,  New  Milford pages  58,  91,  92 

Torrington  Chapter,  Torrington pages  58,  92,  93 

Abi  Humiston  Chapter,  Thomaston page  93 

Green  Woods  Chapter,  Winsted page  58 

Judea  Chapter,  Washington pages  58,  93 

Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter,  Litchfield pages  58,  93,  94 

Sarah  Whitman  Trumbull  Chapter,  Watertown page  58 


ROGER  SHERMAN  CHAPTER. 

PHOTOGRAPH  OF  ROGER  SHERMAN  AND  AUTOGRAPH — Framed,  full-length 
photograph  of  Sherman  in  velvet  "small-clothes,"  from  the  painting 
by  Chappell,   with  autograph  mounted  on  the  margin. 
Presented  by  Roger  Sherman  Chapter. 

RAG  CARPET — 12  x  10^  feet.  Blue  and  white.  Made  for  the  south- 
west chamber  of  the  Homestead,  furnished  by  the  chapters  of 
Litchfield  County. 

Presented  by  Roger  Sherman  Chapter. 

AUTOGRAPH    DOCUMENT    SIGNED — Roger    Sherman,    January    16,    1756. 

— "people  to  whome  these  Presents  Shall  Come  Greeting 
Know  ye  that  I  Bushnell  Bostwick  of  New  Milford  in  Litchfield  County 
&  Colony  of  Connecticut  in  New  England  for  the  Consideration  of 
Fifteen  pounds  money  of  the  old  Tenor  Received  to  my  full  Satisfac- 
tion of  Benjamin  Gaylord  of  sd  Town  County  &  Colony  aforesd  Do 
Give  Grant  Bargain  Sell  &  Confirm  unto  him  the  sd  Benjamin  Gay- 
lord  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  Five  acres  of  Division  Land  in 
New  Milford  Township  which  is  part  of  my  Eleventh  Division  in 
sd  Township  &  I  do  by  these  presents  Impower  him  the  sd  Benjamin 
Gaylord  to  Lay  out  said  five  acres  of  land  in  any  of  the  common  or 
undivided  Land  in  sd  New  Milford  &  the  Same  to  record  to  himself 
in  New  Milford  Record — 

"To  have  &  to  hold  the  above  Granted  &  Bargained  premisses 
with  the  appurtenances  thereof  unto  him  ye  sd  Benjamin  Gaylord  his 
heirs  and  assigns  forever  to  his  and  their  own  proper  Use  &  Behoof: 
and  also  I  the  sd  Bushnell  Bostwick  Do  for  myself  my  heirs 
Executors  and  Administrators  Covenant  with  ye  sd  Benjamin  Gay- 
lord  his  heirs  and  assigns  that  at  &  until  ye  Ensealing  of  these 
presents  I  am  well  seised  of  these  premisses  as  a  Good  Indefeasable 
Estate  in  fee  Simple :  &  have  Good  right  to  Bargain  &  Sell  the  Same 
in  manner  &  form  as  is  above  written  &  that  the  Same  is  free  of 
all  Incumbrances  Whatsoever,  &  furthermore  the  sd  Bushnell  Bost- 
wick Do  by  these  presents  Bind  my  Self  &  my  heirs  forever  to  War- 
rant and  Defend  the  above  Granted  &  Bargained  premisses  to  him 
the  sd  Benjamin  Gaylord  his  heirs  and  assigns  against  all  claims  & 
Demand  Whatsoever. 
"In  Witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  Seal  this 

i6th  Day  of  January  in  the  29th  year  of  his  Majesties  reign  A  D  1756. 

Bushu  bostwick 
Signed  Sealed  &  Delivered 

in  presence  of 
Roger  Sherman 
David  Ferris 


92  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

New  Milford  in  Litchfield  County  Jany  i6th 
A  D  1756  personally  appeared  the  Granter 
Signer  &  Sealer  to  the  above  written  instru- 
ment &  acknowledged  the  same  to  be  his  free 
act  and  Deed  before  me  Roger  Sherman  Jus- 
tice of  Peace." 

Roger  Sherman  was  at  this  time  not  quite  thirty-five  years  old,  and 
had  been  admitted  to  the  bar  two  years  previously,  George  the  Second 
being  King.  Through  the  generosity  of  members  of  this  chapter,  the 
Homestead  thus  possesses  these  valuable  autographs  of  the  only  man 
who  signed  all  four  of  the  great  state  papers :  the  Address  to  the 
King,  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  Articles  of  Confederation, 
and  the  Constitution. 

TORRINGTON  CHAPTER. 
CHAIR — "Four-back"  with  arms,  painted  red,  splint  bottom. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

RAG  RUGS — (Two)  62  x  27  and  58  x  27  inches.  Knit  in  her  ninetieth 
year  by  Mrs.  Sylvia  Price  Gross  of  Torrington,  whose  two  grand- 
fathers served  on  opposite  sides  in  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill — Jonah 
Gross  of  Southwick,  Massachusetts,  with  the  colonists,  and  Paul  Price, 
as  a  British  aide-de-camp.  The  latter,  taken  prisoner  at  New  York, 
was  sent  to  Litchfield  on  parole,  where,  lodging  with  the  Widow  Vail — 
whom  he  later  married — he  became  convinced  of  the  righteousness  of 
the  American  cause,  and  after  fighting  valiantly  for  it  was  made 
sergeant. 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Brooks. 

PLATE — Pewter.    8  inches  in  diameter.    Marks :    "Made  in  London,"  and 
"198"  in  circle,  around  which  "Shore  Di — "  only  is  legible. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

CREAMER — Staffordshire,  blue  and  white. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

MUSTARD  CUP — Staffordshire.     (1825.)     "Blue-edged  ware." 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

MOLASSES  CUP — Mulberry  and  white. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

CUP  AND  SAUCER — White,  polychrome  decoration  in  flowers. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

JUG — Earthenware,  brown  glaze,  small. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

CHURN — Wood,  with  dasher. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

LANTERN — Tin,  pattern  perforated. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  93 

BELLOWS — Wood,  painted  and  lacquered,  brass  tube. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Brooks. 

ABI  HUMISTON  CHAPTER. 

BEDQUILT — 1847.  Pink  and  green.  Pieced  and  quilted  by  Catherine 
Minor  of  Litchfield. 

Presented  by  Abi  Humiston  Chapter. 

JUDEA  CHAPTER. 
HAND  LOOM — One  hundred  and  fifty  years  old. 

Presented  by  Judca  Chapter. 

WASH  STAND — Square,  with  drawer,  opalescent  glass  handle. 

Presented  by  Three  Members  of  Judea  Chapter. 

CHAIR — Windsor.     "Fan-back,"   painted  black. 
ANDIRONS — Iron. 

Presented  by  Miss  Fanny  P.  Brown. 

MARY  FLOYD  TALLMADGE  CHAPTER. 

BUREAU — 1780-1790.  Hepplewhite.  Light  mahogany,  inlaid  with  satin- 
wood,  holly  and  lines  of  ebony  effect;  square  front;  the  two  small 
upper  drawers  inlaid  with  oval  panels  of  satinwood,  below  these  three 
large  graduated  drawers,  curved  bracket  feet ;  oval  brass  handles ;  the 
drawers  fitted  with  sachets  of  sweet  lavender. 
Presented  by  Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter. 

CARD  TABLE — Empire.  Mahogany;  folding  leaf;  top  3  feet  x  3  feet, 
revolves  when  open,  fluted  edge;  pillar  and  ball  base. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  Laidlaw  Buel. 

PORTIERE  POLES — (Two)  The  oak  of  which  these  poles  are  made  was 
taken  from  a  house  once  standing  nearfBantam,  owned  and  occupied 
by  Elisha  Horton,  a  member  of  the  Boston  Tea  Party. 

Presented  by  Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter. 

PORTIERES — (Two)  Homespun  tow;  spun  one  hundred  and  ten  years 
ago. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Francis  Bissell.  , 

SPECIMEN  OF  THREAD — From  which  the  above  linen  was  woven,  and  seed 
from  the  flax  plants  from  which  it  was  spun. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Francis  Bissell. 

MANTEL — Handmade,  painted  white;  from  the  "old  Buel  house"  in 
Litchfield,  built  in  1784  by  Samuel  Sheldon  and  later  owned  by  Dr. 
Samuel  Buel. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  A.  Vanderpoel. 

FIELD  BED — Once  the  property  of  the  Reverend  Truman  Marsh  (1768- 
1851),  rector  of  Saint  Michael's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
Litchfield  for  twenty-seven  years. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  A.  Vanderpoel. 


94  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

CHINTZ  HANGINGS — For  the  above  tester  bedstead. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  A.   Vanderpoel. 

CHAIR — Square  back  with  spindles,  frame  painted  dark  green  and  gold; 
rush  seat.  From  Miss  Pierce's  famous  "Litchfield  Female  Academy," 
the  pioneer  school  for  the  higher  education  of  young  women  in  this 
country,  founded  in  1792. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  A.   Vanderpoel. 

CHAIR — Banister-back,  splint  bottom,  stained  brown. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  A.   Vanderpoel. 

CHAIR — Rocker  with  arms;    Dutch  splat;    rush  bottom,  stained  brown. 

Presented  by  Miss  Alice  Wolcott. 

HOMESPUN  LINEN  TICK — For  mattress.  Belonged  to  Nicy  Melinda 
Hopkins.  Descendant  of  Joseph  Harris,  a  pioneer  of  Litchfield,  who 
was  scalped  by  the  Indians  on  Harris  Plains,  Litchfield;  and  second 
wife  of  John  A.  Woodruff,  son  of  John  Woodruff,  Revolutionary 
soldier,  who  enlisted  in  1776  at  the  age  of  sixteen. 

Presented  by  her  step-daughter,  Mrs.  Abbie  Marie  Woodruff  Newcomb. 

BEDQUILT — Blue  and  white.  Made  by  Nicy  Melinda  (Hopkins)  Wood- 
ruff. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Abbie  Marie  Woodruff  Newcomb. 

BEDQUILT — Calico.   Owned  by  Nicy  Melinda    (Hopkins)    Woodruff. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Abbie  Marie  Woodruff  Newcomb. 

BLANKET — Homespun  wool,  red  and  white,  a  rare  variety.  Belonged  to 
Nicy  Melinda  (Hopkins)  Woodruff,  by  whom  the  wool  was  prob- 
ably spun  on  her  wool-wheel,  preserved  in  the  collection  of  the 
Litchfield  Historical  Society.  (See  "The  Tale  of  the  Spinning  Wheel," 
pages  26-28.) 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Abbie  Marie  Woodruff  Newcomb. 

HOMESPUN  LINEN — Sheets  and  pillow-cases,  a  pair  each,  with  Pillows 
from  Cogswell  Tavern,  New  Preston,  Litchfield  County,  built  before 
1760  by  William  Cogswell,  later  Major  in  the  command  of  Washing- 
ton, who  several  times  occupied  the  room,  where  stood  a  cherry  chest 
from  which  this  linen  was  taken.  The  old  stone  fire-place  of  the 
kitchen  is  still  well-preserved,  in  which  was  prepared  the  hasty  break- 
fast for  three  hundred  Revolutionary  soldiers,  of  whose  approach  brief 
notice  had  been  given.  The  Judea  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  recently  p'aced  a  tablet  on  this  house,  to  the  memory 
of  Major  Cogswell  and  his  wife  Anna  (Whittlesey)  Cogswell,  the 
Chapter's  "patron  saint,"  a  descendant  of  Governor  Welles  of  Connec- 
ticut, and  Governor  Dudley  of  Massachusetts. 

Presented  through  Mrs.  John  L.  Buel  for  the  Litchfield  County  room,  by 
Mr.-.  Charles  Whittlesey  Pickett—oi  the  Mary  Clap  Wooster  Chapter- 
to  w"iom  with  Colonel  Pickett,  the  house  descended  through  four  gen- 
erations. [See  page  75.] 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  95 

CATALOGUE — Loan  Exhibition  of  Relics  held  by  the  Mary  Floyd  Tall- 
madge  Chapter  at  Litchfield,  August,  1902. 
Presented  by  Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter. 

CATALOGUE — Exhibition  of  Antique  Silver  and  Glass  by  the  Mary  Floyd 
Tallmadge  Chapter  at  Litchfield,  August  5-8,  1903. 
Presented  by  Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter. 

SERIES  OF  Six  PHOTOGRAPHS — Cases  filled  with  antique  silver  and  glass, 
part  of  the  exhibition  held  by  the  Chapter,  August,  1903. 
Presented  by  Mary  Floyd  Tallmadge  Chapter. 

"THE  TALE  OF  THE  SPINNING  WHEEL." 

Presented  by  the  author,  Elisabeth  C.  Barney  (Mrs.  John  L.)  Bttel. 


GIFTS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE  CHAPTERS  OF 
MIDDLESEX  COUNTY 


Wadsworth  Chapter,  Middletown pages  58,  97-100 

Nathan  Hale  Memorial  Chapter,  East  Haddam pages  58,  100 


WADSWORTH  CHAPTER. 

HIGH  CHEST  OF  DRAWERS— "High-boy."  1730-1740.  Cherry.  The  upper 
part  has  four  large  graduated  drawers,  above  which  is  a  rising-sun 
drawer  with  narrow  drawer  on  either  side;  broken-arch  top  with 
three  torches;  rests  in  frame  or  table  part  having  one  large  drawer, 
below  which  is  a  rising-sun  drawer  between  two  square  drawers; 
acorn  drops,  cabriole  legs,  hoof  feet;  brass  escutcheons  and  handles 
of  willow  design,  small  bail  handles  on  rising-sun  drawers. 

Presented  by  Wadsworth  Chapter. 

WORK  TABLE — Empire.    Mahogany.    Top  22]/2  x  i8j4  inches ;  one  drawer 
without    handles;     sexagonal    stem    leg,    swelling    toward    base    and 
branching  into  four  feet  which  curve  under. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W.  Wilcox. 

CHAIR — "Fancy  chair,"  gilt  lacquered  wood  frame,  rush  seat. 

Presented  by  Miss  M.  Louise  Hubbard. 

CHAIR — Japanned  black  and  gold  frame,  rush  seat. 
Presented  by  Miss  Margaret  Van  Deursen. 

ANDIRONS — Brass. 

Presented  by  Miss  Frances  Sage. 

SHOVEL  AND  TONGS — Brass. 

Presented  by  Miss  Lucretia  Rockwell  and  sister,  Mrs.  Esther  Bailey. 

CANDLESTICKS — Brass. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Heman  C.  Whittlesey. 

WARMING  PAN. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Robert  Pease. 

FOOT  STOVE. 

Presented  by  Mrs.   Wesley   U.  Pearne. 

FOOT  STOVE. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Henry  Gildersleeve. 

FLUTE  CASE — Early  Eighteenth  Century.    Mahogany,  formerly  lined  with 
white  velvet.     Brought  by  the  donor  from  England. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  James  Wood. 

TEA  CADDY — Early  Eighteenth  Century.  Curious  melon  design,  the  alter- 
nate sections  of  light  and  dark  wood;  has  lock.  Brought  by  the 
donor  from  England. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  James  Wood. 

PLATTER — Pewter.      17   inches    in   diameter.      Marks:     "MADE"    over 
the  crowned  rose.    In  three  small  shields:     (i)  device  illegible:     (2) 
a  lion  passant:     (3)   Neptune  with  trident  on  sea-horse.     There  are 
traces  of  another  elaborate  but  illegible  mark. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Frank  B.  Newton. 


9  8  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

PLATE — India,  stoneware,  blue  and  white. 

Presented  by  Mrs.    Wesley    U.   Pearne. 

TEA  SAUCER — Canton. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  O.  Vincent  Coffin. 

SUGAR  BOWL — Wood.  (1818.)  Blue  and  white.  Subject:  hunter  with 
horse  and  dogs  presenting  game  to  woman  at  cottage  door.  Marks : 
"Enoch  Wood  and  Sons,  Burslem,"  impressed  twice  in  circles;  blue 
star  in  one,  "44"  impressed  in  the  other. 

Presented  by  Mr.  Albert  R.  Crittenden. 

SUGAR  BOWL — Adams.  (1820.)  Dark  blue.  Subject:  children  with 
birdcage.  Mark:  "Warranted  Staffordshire  Adams,"  impressed  in 
horseshoe,  eagle  in  the  centre. 

Presented  by  Mr.  Albert  R.  Crittenden. 

PLATE — Adams.  Blue.  Marks :  "Warranted  Staffordshire  Adams"  in 
horseshoe,  eagle  in  centre,  impressed;  "Bamborough  Castle,  North- 
umberland," in  blue  print. 

Presented  by  Mr.  Albert  R.  Crittenden. 

WASH  BOWL  AND  PITCHER — Adams.  Red  and  white.  Subject:  two 
ladies  in  remarkable  costumes,  one  wearing  a  turban  and  the  other 
nodding  plumes,  are  playing  chess  under  a  grape-trellis;  one  turns 
for  instruction  to  a  gay  gallant  bending  over  her  chair;  a  castle,  lake, 
and  mountains  add  to  the  scene;  flower  border.  Mark:  "Adams" 
impressed. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Henry  Gildersleeve. 

TEA  SAUCER — Newhall.     (1824) 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Azel  IV.  Hazen. 

TEAPOT — Newhall.  White,  decorations  printed  in  mauve  with  choco- 
late bands.  Subject:  the  Spartan  mother  bidding  her  son  return 
with  his  shield  or  on  it. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Denison  I.  Chapman. 

TEAPOT — Newhall.  White,  decorations  printed  in  black,  with  gold  lines 
and  sprigs.  Subject:  youth  sitting  on  a  garden  wall  playing  a  flute 
to  his  lady. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W.  Wilcox. 

PLATE — Davenport.     (1825.)     Pink  and  white.     Subject:     unidentified, 
a  castle  on  the  mountains,  river  and  boat  below,  city  and  trees,  scroll 
border,  roses  within.     Marks :     "Davenport"  both   impressed  and  in 
pink  print;    anchor  and  "19"  impressed. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W,  Wilcox. 

PLATE — Davenport.    Blue.    Marks :   "Davenport"  and  anchor  impressed. 

Presented  by  Mr.  Albert  R.  Crittenden. 


THE  ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD  99 

PLATTER — Mayer.     (1833.)     Pink  and  white.    Marks:   "T.  Mayer,  Stoke 
upon  Trent"  and  "Canova"  printed  in  pink,  as  is  also  fine  lion  device. 
Name  of  maker  impressed  likewise. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Graham. 

PLATE— Heath.  (Joseph  Heath  &  Co.)  Blue  and  white.  Marks:  "J.  H. 
&.  Co.  Italian  Villa"  in  blue  print;  trefoil  impressed. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W.  Wilcox. 

TEAPOT — Staffordshire,  maker  unknown.  Dark  rich  blue.  A  piece  of 
the  famous  set  showing  George  Washington  at  Mount  Vernon.  The 
General  in  uniform  stands  beside  his  prancing  charger  in  front  of 
the  mansion  house,  which  is  seen  in  its  original  form.  The  Potomac, 
with  artistic  license,  flows  close  to  the  walls,  bearing  a  ship  with  all 
sails  set. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W.  Wilcox. 

PLATTER — Staffordshire.     (1824.)     Light  blue  and  white,  very  small. 
Presented  by  Mr.  Albert  R.  Crittenden. 

PLATE — Sevres.     Light  blue   and  white.     Mark:    "Porcelaine   Opaque, 
Edwards"  blue  printed  in  circle,  with  "Sevres"  in  center. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  William  B.  Brewer. 

PLATE — Wedgwood.     Modern.     Blue.     Subject:    the  Charter  Oak. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Boardman. 

PLATE — Wedgwood.  Modern.  Blue.  Subject:  the  Wadsworth  Athe- 
naeum, Hartford. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Boardman. 

BAG — White  linen,  embroidered. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  O.  Vincent  Coffin. 

BAG — White  linen  with  delicate  sketch  in  pen  and  ink  of  swan  on  the 
water. 

Presented  by  Miss  Emma  Oilman. 

BAG — Worked  in  colored  beads;  the  design,  a  lamb  on  one  side  and 
flowers  on  the  other. 

Presented  by  Miss  Emma  Oilman. 

HANK  OF  HOMESPUN  LINEN  THREAD. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  O.  Vincent  Coffin. 

KERCHIEF — Blue  and  white.    Homespun  linen. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  0.  Vincent  Coffin. 

NEEDLEBOOK. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  O.  Vincent  Coffin. 
BASKET — (1780.)     Painted. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W.  Wilcox. 

NETTED  MAT — Linen  centre. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  William  W.  Wilcox. 


100  GIFTS    PRESENTED   TO 

MANUSCRIPT — 1776.    Sarah  Ellsworth. 

"Tyranny  and  Oppression. 
As  Kits  without  Remors  Devour  their  Prey 
So  Tyrants  take  their  Subjects  Lie^s  away 

"To  Americans. 

Remember,  O  my  Friends  the  Laws,  the  Rights, 
The  genrous  Plan  of  Power  delivered  down, 
From  age,  to  Age,  by  your  renowned  Forefathers 
So  dearly  bought  the  Price  of  so  much  Blood 
O  let  it  never  perish  in  your  Hands ! 
But  piously  transmit  it  to  your  Children. 
Do  thou  great  Liberty  inspire  our  souls, 
And  make  our  lives  in  thy  Posession  happy, 
Or  our  Deaths  glorious  in  thy  just  Defense. 
"Combine  ye  Sons  of  Freedom  all  Combine 
The  people  are  invincible  who  join 
Factions  and  Feuds  will  overturn  the  State 
Which  union  Renders  florising  and  great. 
Sarah  Ellsworth  A  D  1776" 

[Sarah  Ellsworth  was  born  September  21,  1763,  and  died  February  6,  1802. 
On  May  17,  1796,  she  married  Abner  Sage,  whose  first  wife — her  younger  sister, 
Ruth — died  in  1793.  The  father  of  the  Misses  Ellsworth,  Captain  John  Ellsworth, 
Jr.,  was  a  second  cousin  of  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth.  Their  grandmother,  Ann 
(Edwards)  Ellsworth,  was  a  daughter  of  the  Reverend  Timothy  Edwards,  and  sister 
of  Jonathan  Edwards.] 

This    manuscript    is    presented    by    a    grand-daughter    of    Abner    and    Ruth 
(Ellsworth)  Sage,  Miss  Emily  Ann  Selden. 

MANUSCRIPT — 1778.  Sarah  Ellsworth.  An  elaborate  example  of  fine 
penmanship,  one  of  the  "exhibition  pieces"  of  the  young  women  of 
the  day.  "Vive  La  Plume.  S.  Ellsworth,  Middletown,  1778.  Tis 
to  the  Pen  and  Press  we  mortals  owe  all  we  believe,  an  most  all 
we  know  Sally  E." 

Presented  by  Mm  Emily  A.  Selden. 

SERMON — Preached  at  Middle  Haddam  on  the  2Oth  of  January,  1825,  at 
the  funeral  of  the  Rev.  David   Selden.     By  Isaac   Parsons,   Junior 
Pastor  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  East  Haddam. 
Presented  by  Miss  Emily  A.  Selden. 

NATHAN  HALE  MEMORIAL  CHAPTER. 
THE  TWINS — For  the  Ellsworth  cradle. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  John  W.  Hatstat. 

PORRINGER — Pewter. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  E.  Elmer  Williams. 


GIFTS  MADE  BY  OR  THROUGH  THE  CHAPTER  IN 
TOLLAND  COUNTY 

Sabra  Trumbull  Chapter,  Rockville pages  58,  59,  103,  104 


SABRA  TRUMBULL  CHAPTER. 

LOOKING-GLASS — 1800.    24^  x  12  inches.    Black  and  gold  frame;   design 
of  painting  in  upper  panel,  a  basket  of  fruit 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Alvah  Norton  B 'elding. 

RUNDLET  AND  NOGGIN — Over  one  hundred  years  old.     Formerly  used 
to  keep  the  water  cool  in  the  hay-field. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Cyrus  F.  Jackson. 

PLATTER — Pewter.  12^4  inches  in  diameter.  Marks:  "R  B"  in  script 
monogram,  over  which  is  a  crest,  a  buck's  head.  This  mark  is 
repeated.  Another  is  "LONDON"  printed.  Still  another  is  partly 
illegible  but  ends — "B  &  Co.,"  followed  by  two  squares  and  a  pentagon, 
(i)  a  female  figure  with  spear  holding  out  a  spray  of  flowers,  rose 
and  thistle  (?)  ;  (2)  a  tree  with  fruit;  (3)  a  rose.  Another  mark  is 
the  monogram  "M  P"  in  large  ornamental  script.  This  plate  was  the 
property  of  Marilla  Porter  of  Coventry,  Connecticut,  daughter  of 
Colonel  Noah  Porter,  who  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Jessie  Favor. 

PLATE — Pewter.  pJ4  inches  in  diameter.  "Known  to  be  over  one  hun- 
dred years  old."  Marks :  two  large  ovals  connected  by  "&."  In 
one  is  the  touch-mark  of  John  Townsend,  a  lamb  below  a  dove  volant; 
the  name  "Townsend"  being  on  encircling  band.  He  was  Warden  in 
1769-1782,  and  Master  in  1784,  of  the  Pewterer's  Company.  In  the 
other  oval  is  the  touch-mark  of  Thomas  Giffin:  a  dagger  piercing 
a  heart  and  ensigned  with  a  ducal  coronet  between  six  mullets,  the 
name  "Giffin"  being  on  encircling  band.  He  was  Warden  in  1751 
and  Master  in  1753-1757.  [Both  names  and  devices  are  registered 
upon  Touch  Plates  III  and  IV,  now  preserved  at  Pewterers'  Hall, 

.,     ..  ,    "FENCHURCH  . 

London.]    On  this  plate  is  also  the  mark          STREET"      m  a  par" 

allelogram.    Formerly  owned  by  Caleb  Hopkins  of  Ellington. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Edwin  H.  Wood-ford. 
PORRINGER— Pewter.    Mark:    "T  D  &  S  B"  on  ear. 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  J.  Kimball. 

FRAMED  SAMPLER — A  rare  example,  done  in  black  silk  on  very  fine  light 
gray  wool  canvas;  the  border  in  green  and  brown. 

"The  Knowledge  of  Futurity  Wisely  Concealed.    Pope. 
"Heaven  from  all  creatures  hides  the  book  of  fate 
All  but  the  page  prescrib'd,  their  present  state, 
From  brutes  what  men,  from  men  what  spirits  know; 
Or  who  could  suffer  being  here  below? 
The  lamb  thy  riot  dooms  to  bleed  to-day, 


104  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

Had  he  thy  reason  would  he  skip  and  play? 

Pleas'd  to  the  last,  he  crops  the  flowr'y  food, 

And  licks  the  hand  just  rais'd  to  shed  his  blood. 

Oh,  blindness  to  the  future  kindly  giv'n, 

That  each  may  fill  the  circle  mark'd  by  heaven 

Who  sees  with  equal  eye,  as  god  of  all, 

A  hero  perish,  or  a  sparrow  fall; 

Atoms,  or  systems,  into  ruins  hurl'd, 

And  now  a  bubble  burst,  and  now  a  world!" 

Worked  by  "Ann  Cater,  aged  12  years,"  born  in  Steepleton,  Glouces- 
ter County,  England,  25  March,  1794;  emigrated  October,  1836,  set- 
tled in  Thompsonville,  Connecticut. 

Presented  by  her  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Edwin  R.  Holman. 


GENERAL  GIFTS 

CHAIR — Windsor,  with  arms,  low,  rounded  top,  painted  black.  Origin- 
ally belonged  to  William  Wolcott  Ellsworth,  Governor  of  the  State  of 
Connecticut  from  1838  to  1842;  one  of  the  twin  sons  of  Chief  Jus- 
tice Oliver  Ellsworth  and  Abigail  (Wolcott)  Ellsworth,  who  was  born 
at  the  Ellsworth  Homestead  in  Windsor,  10  November,  1791,  and 
died  in  Hartford,  15  January,  1868.  The  chair  was  owned  later  by 
the  Honorable  Henry  Barnard,  LL.D.,  of  Hartford.  (1811-1900.) 
Presented  by  the  daughters  of  Doctor  Barnard,  the  Misses  Barnard,  Hartford. 

ESCRITOIRE — Connecticut  cherry,  3  feet  15  inches  high.  Two  large 
drawers  on  high  frame  with  straining  rails,  slant  top  which  lifts,  the 
hinge  being  at  the  top;  interior  compartments;  modern  brasses. 
Made  for  Benjamin  Bushnell  of  Essex,  Connecticut,  who  was  born 
in  1766  and  lived  to  be  eighty-nine,  whose  great-grandchildren 
inherited  it. 

Presented  by  Major  Granger  Adams,  U.  S.  Army. 

CHAIR  TABLE — Chair,   the  back  of  which  is   a  table-top  that   can  be 
dropped  into  a  horizontal  position.    Used  in  old  times  as  a  fireside 
settle  to  keep  the  draughts  off. 
Presented  by  A.  R.  Welles,  Windsor. 

CHAIR — Windsor.     Curved  back,   braced  by   two   extra   spindles,   with 
arms,  of  ash,  seat  of  hickory;   finished  in  the  natural  woods. 
Presented  by  Miss  Mary  Eddye  Benjamin,  Groton. 

MORTAR  AND  PESTLE — Wood. 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  Eddye  Benjamin. 

CANDLESTICKS — Sheffield  plate.  From  the  Grant  Homestead  in  East 
Windsor. 

Presented  by  Samuel  Winek,  Hartford. 

CANDLE  MOULDS — Tin. 

Presented  by  Edwin  R.  Holman,  Windsor. 

PLATTER — Blue  and  white,  willow  pattern ;   with  ears.    Marks :    "W.  A. 
Adderley"  impressed,  also  "W.  A.  A."  and  a  ship  in  blue  print. 
Donor  unknown. 

WARMING  PAN. 

Loaned  by  Miss  Mary  P.  Nott,  Essex. 

"EMBROIDERY  OF  1776" — Part  of  a  gown  worn  in  Philadelphia  by 
Madame  Martha  (Devotion)  Huntington,  whose  husband,  the  Honor- 
able Samuel  Huntington,  was  chosen  President  of  the  Continental 


106  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

Congress  in  1779,  and  was  one  of  the  signers  from  Connecticut 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Her  father's  family  came  from 
Rochelle,  France,  early  in  the  seventeenth  century;  her  mother  was  a 
Lathrop,  granddaughter  of  Simon  Lathrop  of  Norwich,  who  com- 
manded a  Connecticut  regiment  in  the  expedition  against  Annapolis 
and  Louisburg  in  the  colonial  wars. 

Madame  Huntington  left  no  children,  and  this  gown  passed  to 
her  niece  and  namesake,  mother  of  the  donor,  who,  in  turn,  received 
it  because  of  her  name.  It  consisted  of  five  breadths  of  white  dimity, 
elaborately  embroidered  in  colored  flowers,  festooned  over  a  yellow 
satin  petticoat.  The  overskirt  has  been  used  as  a  portiere  for 
years,  but  now,  in  dividing  it  that  relatives  may  share  an  historic 
relic,  one  piece  is  given  to  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  Bryan  E.   (Martha  Huntington   Williams)  Hooker,  Hart- 
ford. 

BONNET — Antique,  green  satin. 

Presented  by  Miss  Mary  Eddye  Benjamin. 

CRADLE  QUILT — Ancient  patchwork. 

Loaned   by   Mrs.   Edwin   R.   Holman,    Windsor. 

PHOTOGRAPH — 13^  x  9^4  inches,  framed  in  oak.    The  Ellsworth  Home- 
stead,  October  8,   1903,  on  the   occasion   of  its  presentation  to  the 
Connecticut  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Made  and  presented  by  Henry  M.  Adams,  Warehouse  Point. 

*  PHOTOGRAPH — 24  x  20  inches,  finished  in  sepia  and  framed  in  Flemish 
oak.  From  the  original  painting  by  Ralph  Earl  (about  1792)  of 
Chief  Justice  Oliver  Ellsworth  and  his  wife,  Abigail  (Wolcott)  Ells- 
worth, seated  in  a  room  of  their  home,  "Elmwood,"  through  the 
open  window  of  which  a  view  of  the  outside  of  the  house  is  shown 
surrounded  by  its  thirteen  elms.  The  painting,  presented  to  the 
Wadsworth  Athenaeum  by  the  Ellsworth  heirs,  now  hangs  in  the  upper 
entrance  hall  of  that  institution.  Reproduced  expressly  for  this  purpose 
by  the  Randall  Studios.  [See  illustration,  page  12.] 
Presented  by  Herbert  Randall,  Hartford. 

*  Mrs.  Wyckoff  writes  [see  note,  page  56],  "  He  was  dressed  in  a  blue  broad- 
cloth coat  with  scarlet  lapels  and  cuffs  *  *  *  In  his  hand  he  held  a  copy  of  the 
Constitution  rolled  outward  so  that  the  number  of  Articles  was  plainly  visible  over 
which  he  had  waged  such  valiant  warfare  in  the  Constitutional  Convention.  Great- 
grandmother,  opposite,  is  dressed  in  a  dove-colored  satin,  opened  in  front  to  reveal 
a  petticoat  of  the  same  color.  *  *  *  Through  an  open  window  we  see  a  pic- 
ture of  the  house  as  it  was  when  the  portrait  was  painted.  The  trees  barely  reach 
the  roof,  and  'South  Carolina'  stands  up  as  high  as  her  peers.  *  *  *  Whether 
it  was  through  family  tradition  or  from  our  own  childish  re-christening  I  know 
not,  but  playing  with  my  brothers,  sisters  and  cousins,  we  revived  our  geography 
by  calling  each  tree  by  its  state's  name.  I  can  not  forget  my  awe  when  the  tree 
we  called  'South  Carolina'  was  struck  by  lightening  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil 
War.  *  *  *  My  uncle  planted  another  one  to  preserve  the  original  number,  but 
its  smaller  size  indicates  which  state  first  seceded  from  the  Union"  [page  12.] 


THE  ELLSWORTH  HOMESTEAD  107 

The  following  twenty-one  numbers  are  gifts  from  the  Connecticut 
State  Library  through  the  courtesy  of  the  State  Librarian,  George  S. 
Godard : — 

CHARTER  OF  THE  COLONY  OF  CONNECTICUT,  granted  by  Charles  the 
Second,  1662.  Printed  in  1900,  from  the  original  in  the  State  Capitol, 
with  introductory  note  by  the  late  Charles  Jeremy  Hoadly,  LL.D., 
State  Librarian,  under  the  supervision  of  George  S.  Godard,  Assistant 
Librarian. 

JOURNAL  OF  THE  CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION  OF  CONNECTICUT  HELD  AT 
HARTFORD  IN  1818. 

HISTORICAL  NOTES  on  the  Constitutions  of  Connecticut  and  on  the 
Constitutional  Convention  of  1818.  J.  Hammond  Trumbull  (1873). 

THE  CONSTITUTIONS  OF  CONNECTICUT.  Notes  and  Statistics  regarding 
Town  Representation  in  the  General  Assembly,  and  Documents  relat- 
ing to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1902. 

RECORDS  OF  THE  STATE  OF  CONNECTICUT.    1776-1780. 

CONNECTICUT  STATE  REGISTER  AND  MANUAL.     1881-1904. 

GENERAL  STATUTES  OF  CONNECTICUT.     1888  and  Revision  of  1902. 

CONNECTICUT  SPECIAL  LAWS.     Volume  14.     Part  I.     1903. 

PUBLIC  ACTS  OF  THE  STATE  OF  CONNECTICUT,  passed  January  Session, 
1903. 

LIST  OF  BILLS  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY.     1903. 

CONNECTICUT  LAW  FOR  IMPROVEMENT  OF  PUBLIC  ROADS.     1903. 

CONNECTICUT  FISH  AND  GAME  LAWS.    August  i,  1903. 

THE  MESSAGE  OF  His  EXCELLENCY  ABIRAM  CHAMBERLAIN,  the  Governor 
of  Connecticut,  to  the  General  Assembly.  1903. 

REPORT  OF  CONNECTICUT  STATE  LIBRARIAN  to  the  Governor.  George  S. 
Godard.  1900,  1901,  1902. 

CONNECTICUT  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  COLLECTIONS.  Volume  VIII.  (1901.) 
Revolutionary  Rolls  and  Lists.  1775-1883. 

CONNECTICUT  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  COLLECTIONS.  Volume  IX.  (Vol.  I.) 
(1903.)  Rolls  of  Connecticut  Men  in  the  French  and  Indian  War. 

I75S-I757- 

ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  CONNECTICUT  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY.    May,  1903. 
HISTORY  OF  THE  FIRST  CONNECTICUT  ARTILLERY.    1861-1865. 
HISTORY    OF    THE    FIFTEENTH    CONNECTICUT    VOLUNTEERS.      1861-1865. 

Sheldon  B.  Thorpe. 

TOPOGRAPHICAL  ATLAS  OF  CONNECTICUT.    1893. 
TOPOGRAPHICAL  WALL  MAP  OF  CONNECTICUT.    1893. 


THE  STONE  RECORDS  OF  GROTON. 

Presented  by  the  New  London  County  Historical  Society. 

ROYAL  STANDARD  ENGLISH  DICTIONARY.  William  Perry.  16  mo.  516 
pages.  Printed  by  E.  Merriam  &  Co.,  Brookfield,  Mass.,  for  Elijah 
Burbank.  October,  1809. 

Presented  by  Mrs.  George  F.  Fuller,  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  ex-State 
Regent  of  Massachusetts,  and  ex- Vice  President  General  National  Society 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 


108  GIFTS  PRESENTED  TO 

CONNECTICUT  MAGAZINE.  Volume  IV,  Number  i ;  Volume  VI,  Number 
7;  Volume  VIII,  Number  i.  Two  copies  each,  containing  articles 
upon  the  Windsors. 

CONNECTICUT  MAGAZINE.  Volume  VIII,  Number  n.  December,  1903, 
containing  article  upon  Oliver  Ellsworth,  his  Homestead,  and  its 
presentation  to  the  Connecticut  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 

NEW  ENGLAND  MAGAZINE.  Volume  XXX,  Number  5.  July,  1904,  con- 
taining article  upon  Oliver  Ellsworth. 

SERMON  on  the  death  of  Mrs.  M.  B.  [Marietta  Bartlett]  Ellsworth,  wife 
of  Hon.  H.  L.  Ellsworth  [Henry  Leavitt,  one  of  the  twin  sons  of 
Oliver  Ellsworth].  Preached  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church 
[Lafayette,  Indiana]  Sunday,  April  20,  1856,  by  the  Pastor. 

Presented    by    Mrs.    Adela    Wheaton     Van  Boehove,    Kalamasoo,    Michigan, 
whose  family  were  life-long  friends  of  Mrs.  Ellsworth. 


PHOTOGRAPHIC  COPY   FROM   THE  LAND  RECORDS   OF   WINDSOR,   FOR   THE 

YEAR   1665,  OF   PORTIONS   OF  THE  ORIGINAL   DEED  TO  JOSIAH 

ELLSWORTH,  OF  LAND,   A   HOME  LOT  AND  A   HOUSE. 


y-firs?  •£>'•**• 

ft&/-?aR$fcs 


2££}  ™  tf>  r'^$XZ£K  r-¥; ' 
^^^S*««^'3^*^ 

6^4^    ««» J>     t  „       •* 


PHOTOGRAPHIC    COPY    FROM    THE    LAND    RECORDS    OF   WINDSOR,    FOR 

1666-7-8,    OF   ORIGINAL    RECEIPTS    FOR    PAYMENTS   ON    HIS 

PURCHASE    MADE    BY  JOSIAH    ELLSWORTH. 

These  photographs  mere  secured  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  George  R.  Maude,  Town 
Clerk, -and  Mr.  Nathaniel  W.  Hayden,  bath  of  Windsor. 


THE  ELLSWORTH   HOMESTEAD  1 09 

EXTRACTS  FROM  ORIGINAL  DEED  TO  JOSIAH  ELLSWORTH,  1665. 

Attest  copy  of   extracts   from  the  original   deed    (see   facsimile   on 
opposite  page)  furnished  in  1907  by  the  Town  Clerk  of  Windsor. 
March  3ist  1665 

Josiah  Elsworth  hath  by  purchas  Land  here  in  Windsor  that  formerly 
was  Frances  Styles's  and  then  from  him  to  Robert  Salkinstol  then 
purchased  by  Master  Daveson,  and  now  made  over  to  Josiah  Elsworth 
by  Joanna  Davison,  the  Widow  and  Relieb  and  Sole  Executrix  to 
the  Said  Mr  Davison,  Decd,  Vidilleset  the  Dwelling  house  orchard, 
with  that  part  of  the  home  Lott,  which  is  on  the  East  Side  of  the 
Street,  in  bredth  Eighteen  rod,  and  now  bounded  North,  by  the  Land 
partaining  to  the  Childeren  of  William  Gaylord,  Decd. .  South  by  the 
Land  of  Henry  Styles.  .  .  . 

Also  four  acres  more  or  Less  of  meadow  butting  the  home  Lott,  and 
bounds  North  by  the  Land  of  the  Children  aforesd,  South  by  the  meadow 
of  Henry  Styles,  Easterly  by  the  brook,  according  as  it  runs  down 
to  the  River  and  a  Little  part  by  the  River.  .  .  . 
Whereas  that  part  of  the  home  Lott  as  Lyes  on  the  East  Side  of  the 
Street,  being  not  found,  to  have  the  bredth  of  Eighteen  rod3  by  the 
Street,  but  fifteen  and  a  half,  it  is  now  upon  Trial  found,  that  the 
first  proprietors  ffrances  Styles  and  William  Gaylord,  now  both  Decd 
had  made  Some  Exchange,  betwixt  them  for  what  is  wanting  in  bredth, 
by  the  Street,  is  over  and  above  its  first  bredth,  next  the  meadow,  So 
that  Josiah  Elsworth  takes  up  as  Satisfied  with  it  . .  as  it  now  is 
bounded  and  the  fence  Stands.  .  . 
Aprill  5th  1666,  Witnessed  by  me  Mathew  Grant,  Register. 

COPIES  OF  ORIGINAL  RECEIPTS. 

Attest  copy  of  original  receipts  to  Josiah  Ellsworth  furnished  in  1907 
by  the  Town  Clerk  of  Windsor. 

Hartford  May  the  3d.  1666 

Received  in  full  for  the  first  payment,  of  Josiah  Elsworth,  for  a  house 

&  Land  bought  of  Mre.  Joanna  Davison,  as  pr  her  order 

by  me  Joseph  Lynde.    .    . 

The  3d  of  Aprill:    1667: 

Received  the   full   Sum   of   forty  five  pounds  of  Josiah   Elsworth,  of 

Windsor  as  doth  appear  by  his  Receit,  which  is  the  full  Sum  that  the 

Sd.  Elsworth  is  to  pay  for  his  Second  years  payment,  for  what  he  is 

Engaged  to  Joanna  Davison,  of  Charles-town  for  a  house  and  Land 

bought  of  the  Said  Davison,  I  Say  Received,  the  Several  perticulers, 

in  full  that  he  was  to  pay,  by  his  bill,  I  Say  Recvd  under  favour  of 

my  mother  pr.  me  Daniell  Davison    .     .    . 

Aprill  the  4th  1668 

Received  of  Josiah  Elsworth  of  Windsor,  forty  five  pounds  in  Wheat, 

pease  &  Indian  Corn,  and  poark  at  price  Currant,  being  what  he  was  to 

pay  in  March  25th.  past,  Refering  to  a  purchas  bought  of  Mra.  Joanna 

Davison  of  Charles-town  a  house  and  Land  at  Windsor,  and  is  Received 

for  her  p  per  account  pr.  me  Joseph  Lynde 

Aprill  20th  68:   this  Entred 

This  may  certify  that  the  within  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  deed 
of  record. 

Attest        GEORGE  R.  MAUDE, 

Town  Clerk. 
Windsor,  June   I4th,   1907. 


ELLSWORTH  MEMORIAL  ASSOCIATION. 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 


Received  October  30th,  1903,  and  recorded  in  Book  of  Stock  Com- 
panies, page  176,  Windsor  Land  Records.  • 

State  of  Connecticut, 

Office  of  the  Secretary. 

BE  IT  KNOWN,  That  we,  the  subscribers,  do  hereby  associate  our- 
selves, as  a  body  politic  and  corporate,  pursuant  to  the  statute  laws 
of  the  State  of  Connecticut  regulating  the  formation  and  organization 
of  corporations  without  capital  stock,  and  the  following  are  our  Articles 
of  Association : — 

Article  I.  The  name  of  said  corporation  shall  be  The  Ellsworth 
Memorial  Association,  Incorporated. 

Article  2.  The  purposes  for  which  said  corporation  is  formed  are 
the  following,  to  wit:  To  maintain,  and  preserve,  as  an  historic  land- 
mark, the  homestead,  in  Windsor,  of  Chief  Justice  Oliver  Ellsworth  and 
of  Abigail  Wolcott,  his  wife,  and  also  a  museum  therein  of  revolutionary 
relics. 

Article  3.  Membership  in  the  Ellsworth  Memorial  Association  shall 
be  restricted  to  members  of  Connecticut  Chapters  of  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution. 

Article  4.  The  said  corporation  is  located  in  the  town  of  Windsor, 
county  of  Hartford,  State  of  Connecticut. 

Dated  at  New  Haven  this  2oth  day  of  July,  1903. 

*  NAMES  OF  SUBSCRIBERS. 

Sara  T.  Kinney.  Marian  Ellen  Gross. 

Emily  S.  G.  Holcombe.  Cornelia  Roff   Pomeroy. 

Amelia  Medora  Castle.  Louise  M.  Beardsley. 

Katharine  Foote  Coe.  Julia  C.  Culver. 

Hannah  Ashby  Rathbun.  Elizabeth  C.  Barney  Buel. 

Isabel  Webster  Chappell.  Margaret  E.   Backus. 

Sarah  M.  Boyd  Camp.  Hannah  K.  Peck. 
Florence  Chamberlain  Moseley.          Mary  J.  Terry  Clark. 

Mary  B.  Kippen.  H.  Maria  Talcott. 

Mary  H.  Merwin  Tibbals.  Jennie  Loomis. 

Mary  Josephine  Blakeslee.  Helen  Phelps  Cook. 

Alice  Norton.  Sue  Phillips  Tweedy. 

Frances  Dunn  Montgomery.  Helen  Louise  Atwood. 

Celia  E.  Prescott.  Ellen  S.  Shaw. 

Abby  Day  Slocomb.  Helen  Redington  Adams. 

Alice  Chew.  Martha  P.  W.   Brown. 

Agnes  L.  S.  Vaughan.  Anna  M.  Olmsted. 

Roberta   N.   Burleson.  Nellie  Goodrich  Eno. 

Grace  P.  Browning.  Estelle  Corbin  Wetmore. 

Mary  E.  Brooks.  Lulu  A.  Raymond. 

Kate  Taylor  Boardman.  Mary  C.  Fessenden. 

Lucy  Fayerweather  Beardsley.  Elizabeth  Thompson  Neide. 
Eva  V.  M.  Bissell. 

*  The  above  names  represent  the  State  Regent  and  the  Regents  of  the  forty-four 
Chapters,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  then  existing  in  the  State  of  Connecticut. 


EXTRACTS     FROM     DEED    OF     GIFT     FROM     THE    ELLSWORTH 

DESCENDANTS   TO   THE   CONNECTICUT   D.    A.    R. 

(For  full  list  of  donors^  see  pages  ft  to  Jj.) 


A     000105068     1 


